The Girl Across the Street
by Shycadet
Summary: I've always had this... infatuation with her. I'm not sure, why- maybe it was the way she could make me smile. All I know is that over all the years she's been across the street, I've always wondered who she really was. (Ino POV/At this point everything is up in the air. But if you can't handle the SUSPENSE AND DUH FEELS. Don't read it :)
1. Freshman year

**A/N - **Shut up, I know. Anyway. I'm trying to fall back into my writing gradually, this story is supposed to help with it. Easy going with some minor ups and downs. I've been gone for awhile, I need to build back up my style and easy flow. So I'm sorry if any of this seems a bit crappy.

As for other stories. EOS is on hold; DA is on hold for NOW but I doubt for long; pretty much everything is on hold but this story.

THanks for the support, hope you enjoy

**DISCLAIMER- I do not own Naruto**

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She's been there for as long as I can remember. My earliest memories consisted with a small teddy bear from my mother, the a slide my dad had gotten me, and a strange little girl who was around my age playing in the yard right across the street.

When I think of it now, it was her rich red hair that caught my attention when I was a child. I could have spotted her from a mile with such an odd shade of color. And while her hair caught my attention- her ability to play by herself but yet have a strong enough imagination to sit and fight invisible monsters stirred interest within me.

Then again, I was only 5. I didn't know who she was, and I didn't plan on ever speaking to her. She was simply just the girl across the street.

Thing is, time forces everything to change around us. Soon I wasn't 5 anymore, I was growing bit by bit. I danced through elementary school- with the strange girl in my sights yet never in the same class as me. Middle school was a little more of a hassle, but only because of the sudden new environment with no recess and more school work. That and unexpectedly being subjected to find an identity for myself, simply to make friends and find a group that was accepting.

Over the years, I found out her name was Tayuya- and even though she was right across the street from, I managed to only see her now and again.

Well, until freshman year of high school.

X

I walked down the lonely isle of the library, dusty books silently watching me. With a small frown I glanced around warily; The eerie feeling they were giving off made me feel chilly. Taking a quick turn, I ran my eyes against the rusted numbers on the side of the tall book cases.

"Damn it," I whispered to myself, stopping and turning my head behind me with a confused look around, "How the heck did I miss it?"

The books didn't answer as I continued to search for the numbers _34_. It should have been right here, I should be right on top of it. Biting my lip, I stumbled forward in hopes to find it at the other end. It seemed to get darker the further I went- most likely having reached the _"never checked out" _section of the library; the smell of old books were starting to make me believe so.

As I came the to the middle of another isle again, I stopped and looked around. This time, it seemed I have managed to get further away. With a frustrated stop, I whispered angerly, "What the hell?"

With a sudden surge of motivation, I stomped down another isle- knowing it had to be SOMEWHERE.

And that's when I saw her. That red hair tumbled down a slim shoulder with naked arms as she leaned against a shelf, lazily looking at the book at her lap. With one leg stretched out and the other propped up with a bent knee, she certainly looked comfortable. I couldn't help to stare, not knowing what to say. It didn't matter though, because she had then spotted me.

Her eyes scrunched in a slight confused way until a small grin slipped her lips. Shifting, she took out the headphones that were hidden behind her hair from her ear. Then, she put her book beside her and said, "Ino Yamanaka?"

I bit my lip to hide my smile. It seemed like every time we met, no matter how scares, she never failed to force a tug at my lips. Taking a step closer, and said back in a mocking way, "Tayuya Hokumon."

"Hey there," she smiled easily. As I stepped towards her she watched me. I felt a bit nervous over her gaze, but tried not to show it. With a small smile sat on my lips, I stepped into a comfortable distance and waited. Giving a casual grin, she asked, "So, fancy meeting you here?"

"At the library?" I replied in disbelief. Before I could explain that I practically lived here, she stepped in, "Nah not the library, this section. You're never over here."

"Um," I started, "Are you here a lot too?"

"Yeah," She replied, using her finger to point around in a small twirl as she smiled, "Kinda like the solitude."

After processing that bit of information, I suddenly started to stumbled out, "Oh sorry, I'll go."

Her face fell into confusion as I started to leave. Turning my back to her, I searched for where I left off, but I didn't get far because I felt a warm hand on my wrist.

"Hey," Tayuya said quickly, "don't be a dork, that isn't what I meant."

I allowed her to stop me, and with a bite of my lip I turned around. She was giving me a worried look, her cat like brown eyes waiting anxiously. Now incredibly embarrassed, I blushed and started, "Oh, sorry I thought-"

"No no, it's my fault," she cut off, taking a step back as she rubbed the back of her neck, "That was my bad, I should have thought that out more carefully."

"I just figured with the music and all you wanted to be alone," I continued nervously, not being able to stop my babbling.

"Well I did," She started, but with a drop of her face, she realized what she had said, "I did- I diddddd, but… you're a very pleasant intrusion."

I stopped word vomiting with a glance at her. The smile she was giving me made me look away, her casual comfortability forcing me to feel a bit squirmy. I mumbled 'whatever', and knew she had to be still grinning.

"So," she continued while I stared at the books, "Why this section of the library?"

Remembering what my true purpose was, I frowned and looked around in annoyance, "I have to find a stupid old book for my history class, and I can't friggin' find the isle."

Her laugh tugged my eyes back to hers. When we made contact with each other, she settled and started carefully, "Well, that seems like trouble. What are you looking for?"

"It's some war book," I answered, thinking of the history paper I had to write, "It's a big one for uh… damn it. For…"

I fell silent, my thoughts searching for the missing information. In the midst of my adventure, Tayuya laughed. Coming back to the present, I glanced over at her in question.

Her laugh simmered to a small smile, "Sorry, it's just when you are thinking really hard, you start to pout."

My eyes turned wide as I blushed and looked away. I was just about to stutter out for her to go away until she started in a thoughtful tone, "There's the War of Great Savagery, started and fought for a 9 long year battle just for the northern river."

Blinking in surprise, my brain sparked as I gushed, "That is the one! How did you know?"

"Oh," she shrugged with her hands shifting to be shoved in her pocket, "I like reading about the old wars and stuff," Her eyes then fell to the ground with a small frown, "some of the reasons they started are pretty fucked up and everything- I figure someone should show some attention to them. They are written down to be remembered after all."

Her voice was falling with every word she spoke, and I doubted she realized it. I watched her quietly, my eyes sliding and seeing the distant look that were in hers. For a moment, I held my breath. I wasn't sure, but the look on her face was starting to put a sputter in my heart beat. Swallowing, I mumbled after she finished, "So you enjoy history."

"More like wars," She replied, but nodded with a smile, "That book would be down that way. Isle 34."

"Yes 34!" I said excitedly. Then with a point, I angrily stated, "But the thing doesn't exist! I went from 33 to 35 five times!"

"You know why?" She started with small nods of sudden realization, "That isle genre is so small that they put two in one. I'm guessing it's at the end of 33."

"Oh god," I sighed out, "Do they seriously do that here? I wonder how many others have had this adventure."

"I'm sure one student every year during this time has had this adventure from the same random paper." She joked as I gave a small laugh and agreed. But after that laugh, we fell silent. It took a moment to realize it, seeing as she always seemed to make me comfortable. I parted my lips to speak when the silence started to seep into my conscious, but Tayuya managed to before me.

"So, are we going to pretend we will talk to each other later, or do we just say bye?"

The question dragged a small frown to my lips. I watched her, confused at the way she smiled so good naturally after the fact. It was perplexing because the sentence sounded like it was out of spite, but the way she said it was more like casually throwing a good conversation starter.

"Um," I began, the same small frown still at my lips, "is that what we do?"

"Usually," She answered with a shrug, "for awhile anyway."

"Sounds terrible," I mumbled while looking away, a feeling stirring my stomach.

Her voice was reassuring as I avoided her eyes, "No it isn't, it is just how we work? I mean, it has never failed us right?" I bit my lip and shifted, bringing my hand to my forearm. She must have noticed how uneasy I looked. With a sigh, she pressed, "There is no harm in admitting it. I have no shame in admitting anything else to you. Like all the times I get to talk to you, I am happy and smiling for the rest of the day."

My stomach flipped. I opened my mouth and stumbled out nervously, "Liar."

"No lie," she replied simply, her eyes on me, "No reason to lie to you, and plus I would trust you wouldn't lie to me."

I turned back to her, watching the way waited with her eyes steady in mine. After a moment, I asked, "Then why don't we hang out?"

She shrugged as she ran her hand through her red hair, "Just the way of the world, that and we hang out with completely different kinds of people."

"You hang out with skaters," I stated, saying it to myself as well as her. She nodded and smiled naturally, "And you hang with the popular kids. We just don't mix."

"We should," I started firmly, giving her a look. I only seemed to amuse her though. Laughing, she replied, "But we don't. Anyway, go find your book, make sure its there- if not they can grab a copy from another library if you ask."

"Oh, ok," I mumbled, nodding at the valuable information, "Then yeah… I better go."

"Take care," It sounded so teasing, so poking. I gave her one more glance before turning and going back to the edges of the library. When I looked back, she was watching me- assuring I was heading the right way before returning to read. The moment she caught my eyes though, she waved.

I looked away and kept going- careful not to look back this time. It didn't take long to find the missing isle, and it wasn't hard to find the book I was looking for. But when I came back around to thank Tayuya for the help, she was gone.

Biting my lip, I wondered if we truly wouldn't talk for awhile from now. Then my mind wandered to how sometimes we ride the same bus if she wasn't skateboarding to school. Sighing, I just mumbled to myself.

No, I'll speak with her again, soon enough.

X

Despite my optimistic thoughts, I hadn't talked to her after that day. Actually, after that meeting within the library, Tayuya seemed to have disappeared. I hardly saw her at all with the different classes we took and the fact that she hardly ever rode the bus. So, eventually time trickled by.

Then, possibly a month later, I had spotted her again. She had her music in her ear and her skateboard in her hand. The distance between us was not much, it was small enough to stir a feeling of jogging up to say hello. The way she looked though, the way she composed herself as she made her way down the sidewalk and further from the school- well it made me nervous. Suddenly I was thinking I wouldn't have anything to say- so it would be awkward and weird.

After a while, she threw her skateboard on the ground and hopped on it as it rolled across the pavement. And so, just like that, she was now skating down the road, her eyes never have reaching mine as she moved her lips to the song she was listening too.

I watched her for a bit, saw how she pushed her hands into her pocket after pulling a hat backwards on her head. With a tank top on as well as some ripped jeans, her body was something to be jealous of. And her skin had a tan to it, most likely from her always being outside. Just by her looks, I was surprised she wasn't popular as well. I had to admit, it was the only reason I was.

After that last thought, I pondered if she could be popular- that way we could hang out. But I saw the way she looked as she pushed against that concrete, her hair slowly starting to pick up and flutter. Even if it was an opportunity she wouldn't take it, it wasn't her style.

In the midst of my thoughts, out of no where, she suddenly turned her head to see behind her. Riding down the street, pockets still in her hand, I saw her curve her board left and right smoothly as she caught my eyes. She was pretty far now, so I couldn't see what her expression looked like. If I had to guess, I would say that there was knowing smirk at her lips as she raised her hand lazily and held it in the air in show of a wave.

I waved back- if only raising my hand in an unsure sort of a way. She didn't stop, but she also didn't look away for awhile. Soon enough though, she did, and I too turned and walked towards the buses.

But damn it all to hell, there was another smile sitting on my face.

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**Heyyyyy sooooo yes know this isn't your OTP but come on, give it a chance. I mean, don't you love me?**

**Anyway, I went to check and make sure everything came out alright for the online viewing, and saw that I had some how missed like a slice of my chapter and the A/N. SOOOO I fixed it. Anyway. Read review. **

**I love Konetsu :3**

**Shy out.**


	2. Sophomore year

**A/N - **Thanks for the two reviews I got!

I'm not always that famous, but when I am, I drink my mother fucking milk. So I should probably hop on that, hopefully get some more.

WELL I FEEL LIKE I AM PERFORMING FOR LIKE 2 PEOPLE, but I know that isn't true.

I know you guys are out there, sneaking peaks at my stories. ;]

Alright, lets do this.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

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Freshman year went by like a gust of wind. Suddenly I was a sophomore, and no longer freshman meat. This meant a couple of things, like seniors now taking interest in getting to know me. Because while dating a hot freshman was weird as a senior- they obviously didn't mind if I was sophomore.

It wasn't that bad at first, just a couple of guys here and there just trying to be friends. Soon enough though, I spiraled into this... suffocating game of dodging the boys that remotely looked like they were going to confess their love to me.

When you think of high school guys, you think of boys who honestly don't care and eat a jar of peanut butter while picking their nose and playing Call of Duty.

But oh my god, they weren't anything like that. They seemed to honestly bathe, show interest in what they wore, and went the extra mile to be affectionate and open about their feelings. I wasn't sure what type of confused high school I was going to, but it was freaking me out. The ones who cared were the worse, because those were the ones that would tug you along and dump you like a sport.

That's what my friend told me, which I thought was pretty funny at first, because I thought she wasn't serious. Now that I was swimming in tons of guys that were very caring and sweet, I realized the danger of the situation. I mean of course there was a chance they wouldn't dump me- but who said I wanted to take that chance?

That being said, I was at my locker grabbing my things when I noticed the movement of a guy coming my way. I mean there were loads of kids around me shuffling around- but this movement seemed to be moving right towards me. It was then that I tensed and suddenly picked up the pace. Soon enough, I was slamming my locker shut and darting down the hall in a hurry.

Second semester sophomore year of high school, and I couldn't get a single day of peace without some boy trying to get with me. Well, in their defense they honestly might just want to be friends and I'm just being a crazy bat bitch. Either way, they weren't catching me- not at my lunch break; which was my private time.

Instead of going to the library this time, I decided I wanted to go outside. I figured the PE field would be empty, so I made my way there. In the minutes it took to get there, I searched my bag to make sure I grabbed everything I needed. Today was a half day, so after lunch we would be let out of school- around 30 minutes after. I didn't want to spend my time later doing something I could do now.

It was nice outside, nice enough to not feel the need to find some shade. So, glancing around, I aimed for a spot that seemed to be brighter than most- from under the bleachers. At the very corner of my vision I saw what seemed like a nice comfortable area with some light coming through. Happily skipping, I made my way over.

My skipping stopped in a staggering few steps after I had a better view of the place. It had seemed it was occupied and I wasn't even sure if I was surprised who I saw sitting on the ground, leaning against the concrete pillar.

Her legs were stretched out again, but this time more wild like a child playing with toys. That amazing red hair sat and tumbled at her shoulders while her eyes scanned the page in front of her. There was music in her ears, and I was starting to believe that was common. Because of the music, she hadn't heard me yet and I was just out of view.

I contemplated if I should speak or not, wondering if it would be a bit rude to leave when I clearly saw her sitting there. I wasn't sure if it honestly mattered, because at this point I could run and she would never know. But the more I quietly watched her, the more feeling I had to stay and speak. It wasn't obligation. It was... an attractive thought that seemed to be luring me in more and more.

Her lips parted as she stared at the paper, nodding her head slightly as she read with her eyes scanning from left to right. Then her lips started to move, murmuring just under her breath. As her nodding grew a bit more noticeable, so did the sound that she was whispering to herself.

It was a tune, a small slow one but I couldn't make out the words. The melody was soft as it rose up and down, and with the bite of my lip I found myself falling in love with it. Whatever the song was, it had already began to start twiddling inside my head. In my attempts to figure it out, I took a step forward. And with that movement- I was suddenly in line sight of Tayuya. Her brown eyes automatically shifted to my figure, and moments later, she was taking off her head phones, "Well why am I not surprised."

"I was thinking the same thing," I replied, smiling down at her relaxed grin.

"So what are you doing here?" She asked as she placed her book down.

"Just to get some alone time," her relaxed grin turned into a knowing one. I watched her for a moment until I gave up and asked, "What? What are you smirking about?"

"You aren't just trying to get alone, you're trying to escape," she stated, a tug at her lips as she attempted not to smile too much. When I blinked in surprise, she casually mentioned, "Hard not to pay attention to the life of Ino Yamanaka, seeing as she growing in the popularity ranks."

"It isn't what it looks like," I started with a small huff and a step froward, "Those guys come up, barely even knowing me, asking me out. It's... ridiculous! And I don't even want any of it."

I don't know why I was explaining, she certainly didn't need one. But it might have been the way her knowing grin stayed on her face, even though it simmered to a small good natured smirk. Her brown eyes, which were set on mine, swirled with some many... things? Everything about her compelled me to explain, to make her understand. I didn't mind if anyone else misunderstood, let them think what they want- but Tayuya needed to know the truth.

Because we were friends?

Because she has been across the street for the past 15 years?

I'm not sure the reason, but it was there all the same.

She must have read my facial expression, because she put up her hand in a show of surrender, "Hey you don't have to explain it, I already know."

"You do?" I asked uncertainly, shifting to give her an unsure look.

"Yes," She replied as her smile turned charming, "I mean, Ino Yamanka is a one guy girl, right?" I was confused on if she was teasing me or honestly stating it. I bit my lip, but that only fueled her flames. Then, sitting up from the concrete pole, she looked up at me and and continued on something different, "So are you telling me you will be keeping me company today?"

"Um," I started with a glance back towards the school. I wasn't sure what time it was now; I hadn't expected to speak with anyone, so my internal sense of time was kind of off. Turning back towards Tayuya, I continued unsteadily, "I'm not sure, I might just head to the lunch now."

"Well you aren't bugging me," She offered while watching me carefully, attempting to find out the reason I was trying to scramble away from her so quickly, "And if you stayed I would keep a headphone out just in case you wanna talk."

I smiled, half because of the way she threw me a puppy look and half because of the sweet honest tone she was taking with me. As her eyes never left mine, I found myself slowly starting to heat up and looked away. Fidgeting with my fingers, I mumbled, "Well I'd hate to intrude- I keep finding your secret places."

"That you do," she said with a laugh, this time though she stood up from the ground. Her long hair fell down her back and shoulders. At her forehead, a bang lazily sat there, shifting with her every movement. After she stood up, she grabbed her beanie that was right next to her- but was out of my line of sight so I didn't know it was there. Using both hands she pulled it on her head, and with some quick very familiar adjustments, it sat more snuggly at the back of her head instead of completely on top of it.

It was amazing how much her appearance changed just by the addition of that accessory. She went from looking like regular Tayuya to honestly looking like the skater I already knew she was. Her _Bring Me The Horizion _tank top was snug and fit her perfectly, only lose enough to breathe and move. Over that, because it was a bit chilly, she had a dark gray, black, and red patterned flannel, the sleeves pulled up to right before her elbows. The jeans she wore were tight and torn, holes spotted here and there with her DC skating shoes catching the ruffles at her ankles.

I liked how she had a style: a set individuality in the way she dressed. Most of the skaters she hung out usually just wore jeans and a shirt, but she always seemed to add a flare to it. I watched her as took a step towards me, her hands going in her pockets. All the while, her eyes were set on the ground, avoiding my gaze. Soon enough, those brown eyes were sliding up to mine as her face stayed slightly downward. It was a cute look, one the looked completely unsure and shaky but attempted to keep a cool composition with a easy little smile at her lips.

At the sight of her eyes, I bit my lip and looked away. As I did so, she started, "But you know, I always enjoy the intrusion- only by you. If it was anyone else I would make an attempt to leave or make it obvious that they should."

My heart stirred at her words, having the same sensation of it squeezing but not quiet sputtering like I expected. Yet, even though I was completely nervous, I couldn't stop the smile that danced slowly at my lips. I tried to stop, but I couldn't- the way she watched me seemed too teasing. My heart started to beat faster as I stumbled out softly, "I bet you say that every girl you meet alone with."

"Not at all buttercup(1)," she replied in the same soft tone, "Just to that pretty blonde girl from across the street."

Oh god, I felt like I was about to explode. I don't know what it was about Tayuya, but she always made me feel this way. It was strange, and I didn't understand how some guy could say the same exact thing and I would roll my eyes but since she said it, I found myself responding to. It was hard not to though, because the way her eyes were always steady on mine, and her tone so confident and smooth- not in a cocky type of way, but in a 'I mean what I say and won't hold it back' type of way- I just couldn't ignore it. It was like I knew she meant it, and that's why I found myself blushing and stumbling like an idiot.

I needed help. Some type of ground to stand on when it came to her, because her presence always seemed to make me go from confident 10th grader to stumbling child.

"It's funny," I murmured back in reply, a smile still at my lips as I continued to look away, "I think of you as the girl across the street too."

She laughed, "Yeah? Well it has a nice ring to it right?"

"Yea..."

My sudden fall into silence seemed to spark something within her. With a raise of her voice, she took a hand out of her pocket and started to rub the back of her neck, "So hey, I was wondering if you had anything planned Friday?"

"Friday?" I asked curiously as I thought, "Well... my friends might spring some party on me most likely, but as of now: no. Why? Did you want to make plans?"

"Well not if you will be busy," She quickly began to back track nervously, "If that is the case, forget it."

With a sudden shift in the universe, I found myself being the one watching as SHE nervously squirmed. And just like that, another smile slipped my lips. This time, it was me teasing, "You can't just take away potential plans... what if I wanted to hear them?"

I felt like laughing as I watched her shrug with another uncomfortable shift. It wasn't that I wanted to laugh at **her**, but just laugh with some sense of joy because I wasn't the one squirming for a change. I continued to watch her with an amused smile, and eventually she was able to speak, "Well there is a party at my place."

"Yours?" I asked in surprised, growing very interested. I've never been to her house before, even though it was two minutes away.

"Yes," she coughed out a laugh, "It's uh. Well it's just a small party, some friends, all that."

I smiled, "And you are inviting me over?"

"Only if you want and can make it," She explained in a rushed sort a way, "If you have other things to do, I wouldn't mind if you did them." I smiled again as she took a deep breathe and looked at me. She noticed the amusing time was having and gave a smooth grin, "Yeah, I'm making an ass out of myself, aren't I?"

"Not that much," I answered with an assuring smile, "You're just funny to watch."

"Well," She pressed, with a chuckle, "Now you know the date and time. I guess I'll see you if you show."

"You're leaving?" I asked as she moved to pick up her things.

"Yeah, gotta get to the library actually."

I watched with a small frown, my disappoint slowly trickling to my face. I know I said I would just go ahead and go to lunch, but I hadn't expected her to leave. Actually, as dumb as it sounded, I thought she would try harder to get me to stay. All that aside, I asked, "Are you supposed to be in class in the library?"

"Nah, it's some tutoring that's all. After school stuff." She replied with a smile.

Tutoring? Since when has she ever needed a tutor? Before I could ponder on it, she was stepping away to leave. Her bag was slung under her shoulder as her book was in a free hand. With a shift of her red hair, she moved to say good bye, but then noticed the way I looked.

"What is it?" She asked, her tone caring.

I bit my lip and looked away, "Nothing, go ahead."

"Well... Alright," She started slowly as I felt her eyes on me. I didn't say anything as she shifted to leave again. She as she was about to turn slowly around, she huffed and swirled back to me, "Damn it, just tell me."

I blinked, surprised. I hadn't expected her to turn back around, and now that she had, I found myself stumbling and completely forgetting why I was so bummed in the first place. Quickly, I rushed, "It's nothing, sorry."

"Come on Ino," She started with the cross of her arms, "15 years is a long enough time to tell if you are lying."

"But we never talk," I offered meekly.

"Well, that could change if we really wanted to make it happen," Her reply was simple and straight forward, "But damn high school is doing a hell good of a job separating us. That and your friends."

"My friends?" I asked curiously.

"We chose different people to hang out with," She explained with a shrug, "So it's hard to get together." I bit my lip as I thought about it. It was true, I was always doing something with my friends and she always seemed to be doing something with hers. In the middle of my thoughts, her voice came through, "So what is it?"

I wracked my brain for an excuse- simply anything to give her. With a sudden thought, I rushed out, "Since when have you needed a tutor?"

Her brown eyes blinked at the question, I had caught her off guard. Slowly her surprise passed, and as it left, she managed to pull her eyes away from me, "Oh... uh, well it's just some extra work to keep me occupied."

She was lying. I didn't know how I knew, but I did. With a frown, I watched as she rubbed her arm and kept her gaze away from mine. When the silence started to get longer, I asked softly, "But I thought we trusted each other to tell the truth."

I don't why I said that. It was dumb and I was being stupid, but it kind of hurt that she was obviously keeping some secret from me. I mean she didn't owe me any secrets, we weren't friends enough to even share any, but it still hurt and I was confused why.

My words completely threw her off. She went from charming easy going Tayuya, to blinking with her face completely dropping. My cheeks burned hot as I kept quiet, honestly having no clue as to how to backtrack from what I said. It didn't matter, because it seemed she didn't want me to.

"You're right." My eyes slid to hers, and to my surprise, she was grinning. Her showing emotions were now officially confusing me now, "I said that over a year ago, I can't believe you remember," I shifted with an embarrassed mumble of unintelligent words. She didn't seem to notice, "I trust you not to lie to me, and you should be able to trust that I wont lie to you." Then with a huge sigh, she explained, "I have a lot of shit going on at home. Complicated and draining, so it's pulling down my grades."

Before I could ask, she stated firmly, "No, I don't want to talk about it, no point of bothering you with my problems."

Giving a deep frown, I took a breath, but she stopped me again, "I don't care if you don't care, I won't go dropping random loads of stress on you."

I glared but stayed quiet with a huff. My reaction caused a soft smile to slip her lips.

"So no worries, I'll get them back up. I'll see you around, Ino."

"Um," I started, watching her go. She glanced over as I rushed, "Yeah, see you later."

And with that she left; Smile on her face, laugh at her lips, she managed to keep walking without looking back.

Sadly enough, I didn't manage to go to that party. Something came up, and I ended up missing it. That whole night though, I thought of nothing but her.

Too bad it wasn't until a year later that I spoke with her again.

* * *

(1) Just to make your day kitten. To my first reviewer of this story.

(2) To my kind second reviewer. Love both of your faces.

**Alright, chapter two is out. Hopefully chapter 3 is a bit shorter so I can start really getting these chapters out. It's a bit long now cuz I'm still setting up, so eventually it will be less intense and more...**

**i dont kno, life lyke?**

**Who knows. Read. Review. Tell me what you think. I want you guys to get to know Tayuya a bit more, so I can't wait to get deeper in the story. BUT I NEED MOTIVATION TO KEEP MOVING FORWARDDD.**

**Alright. **

**Shy loves. out. **


	3. Junior Year

**A/N - **Hey there, thanks for the few more reviews. ON TO CHAPTER THREE. WE ARE ALMOST DONE WITH THE SET UP YAY. Like literally next chapter will be there will be actual shit happening.

I hope I am inspiring people to be different about their OTPs. Granted some pairings are really off the wall, but others are pretty decent.

I like this pairing. I'll have to do amazing to get it just perfect so everyone will like it too.

BEETEEDUBS Qwerty no, I totally didn't put a (2) in the story LOL I just wanted to say hello at the end, :[ but I totally failed and I now I laugh because I think of how you must have been searching.

And then I stop laughing because that's rude. :P love you.

Ok, enjoy.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

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Junior year is like a set up that was planned from the beginning of each of our lives. How do you suddenly go from worrying about history papers- to randomly screaming about college and all the requirements needed to make it happen?

Tests?

Applications?

I think junior year is when everyone started to feel a bit lost. It was the time where everyone stumbled around attempting to figure everything out. We had only just been worrying about papers and homework assessments, but now you're thrusting this whole further education difficulties in our faces?

It was just... stressful. And, as if everyone heard the same dooming melody, we started to grow closer as a 2012 class. It was like we suddenly understood each others problems, and just knowing others understood, helped so much.

In these stressful times of tests, the library was always full. I found myself walking around, randomly sitting in remote places- even if it was some quiet hall- just taking out my ACT book and reading. Cramming. Memorizing. Learning.

But most of all, stressing.

Today I came outside.I figured instead of sitting inside in the hall, I might as well be adventurous and go read under a tree. It was when I came out the back doors of the school that I was suddenly hit with a flooding memory.

Laughs, smiles, a nervous girl stumbling to ask me over.

My heart skipped slightly. With a stir of hope I wondered what were the chances of her still being there, sitting under the bleachers with music in her ear and a book at her lap.

The thought of her music twirled a melody in my head, and with shiver dancing over my chest, my whole body warmed. That song, I wonder what it was. My thoughts skimmed my memory of Tayuya, her parted lips slowly passing through my mind. I found myself staring at how they moved so slightly as she sang along. All the while, I was assuring myself that I wasn't being silly at all, and I was just going to the old spot I met Tayuya at to read- not to desperately check if she's there.

I slowed to timid steps, my stomach twisting with nervousness. I wasn't sure if I wanted her to be here or not, but I wanted to be quiet about it. Approaching the concrete pillar, I peaked around slightly. And with a smile on my lips, I wondered why I even doubted.

There she was, but with no dusty book. With a bite of my lip, I realized it had almost been- if not already- a year since I actually spoke with her. She looked different, but the same. She looked...

Exactly how I expected her to look.

She had I hat pulled backwards on her head with a red bang stubbornly sticking out. Though her hair wasn't as long and tumbling anymore, her short stringed hair dangled at her collarbones. She wore skinny jeans with a tight black and white _Pierce the Veil _shirt_. _Her knees were up and her arms supported her as she leaned back against the concrete pillar, her eyes close and mouth slightly open.

She was sleeping.

With a smile, I realized if I was going through hell with college finding, then she must be too.

After a moment, my smile turned into a frown. I took a step away and leaned against the other end of the pillar. Silently, I agreed that I should probably go. She was sleeping there and there was no point of staying around because then I would look stalker-ish.

I refused to listen to my twisting heart, which was tugging me along to go sit next to the girl. It was stupid, but I wanted to say hi. But to keep me away, I chastised myself. I told myself that I could have been talking to Tayuya for the past year, but I never tried. So it wasn't fair to her that the moment I finally wished to speak with her, she was sleeping because school was draining her.

So, with a final resolution, I decided to leave her to her dreams- but then I heard it, the song she had been listening to was the same from my memories. Softly, the guitar of the melody danced around me, the wind picking it up and whispering it across my ears. With a drop of my heart, I whirled to her and stared. That was the song, the one that had been eerily hanging around since I heard it, which was like a year ago.

Quietly, I stepped around and kneeled next to her, biting my lip nervously as I practically held my breath. The closer I got, the more I started to bite. Soon my lip was under tons of pressure as I paused my breathing and leaned near her face, turning my head to let my ear get the best of what could be heard.

The wail of the guitar shot through, it's sound dancing up and down as the drums kept beat. Over all, the song sounded exactly how it would compared to Tayuya's soft singing from that day. With every passing second, I wondered if it would ever get loud enough to hear the lyrics, though I doubted it.

Finally coming back to the present, I pulled back away from Tayuya's ear and noticed she was still sleep. With a smile on my lips, I remarked on how she hadn't moved at all, but her lips were slightly parted. She looked so peaceful, so relieved to be catching some sleep. Then, I got an idea.

I stood up from Tayuya and quietly reached into my bag. I tore out a piece of paper and then grabbed a pen and scrabbled a few words up there. Smiling the whole time I folded the note, because I kept thinking how nice it would be to wake up to a surprise such as a small random letter that you were sure, but not positive, was from a certain person. Carefully, I kneeled back down to her resting figure.

Her breathing was even and light, her eyes still closed with her face so unguarded- no smirk to keep me squirming or no smile to cause my heart to squeeze. She was just a normal girl, just another sleep deprived Junior.

I licked my lips nervously, my eyes sliding down to her closed hands. Leaning forward, I gently grazed my fingertips against her smooth knuckles, anxiously watching to see if she would wake up. When there was no movement or sign of her stirring, I got a bit bolder and gently grabbed her whole hand, my fingers sliding across hers. My heart jumped at the contact, and I was surprise her skin felt a bit cool despite the weather outside being pretty scolding.

Before I could jeopardize anything, I opened her hand and slipped my folded up note inside. Gently, I placed her hand back down, but as soon as our contact broke, I felt a bit colder. Biting my lip, I stood up and grabbed my things. Then after, I walked away.

I wondered if she would get my note, or would dumb fate have it accidentally fall out of her hand and fly away by the wind. Either way, I smiled and kept moving.

Even if she didn't get it, I couldn't stop myself from gently rubbing my fingers against the hand that touched Tayuya's.

The presence of her soft skin was still lingering, and I kind of hoped it would for just a bit longer; just like I hoped that fate would be nice for a bit longer and allow Tayuya to find the note.

My heart fluttered as I thought about what I wrote.

_Why am I not surprised?_

It was a simple set of words that didn't have any real meaning in hindsight, but for Tayuya and I- well I hoped she understood that I was basically saying:

_"Hey, long time no see. You are looking good. I've missed you. Maybe we'll talk some other time."_

Just like we would say to each other if we ever spoke again, because we both knew we wouldn't talk to each other again for months later.

I couldn't help but hope that all of that would change, if only sooner than later because this was Junior year.

And graduation was practically around the corner.

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**Right, hold on to your seats. A side of feels with a whole lot of heart stomps are on their mother effing way. **

**Tell me what you think. read. Review. All that jazz.**

**Your reviews totally fuel me, so feed MEH NOAAAA. **

**Shycadet loves. kthnxbai.**


	4. That night

**A/N - **Yo, just another early chapter for you guys. I hope you like it, tell me what you think.

UHHHHHH. Um... This is where I say something quirky and clever and everyone just goes, 'Oh shy, you fool, you slay me."

And then i smile and wink and say all the right things to get you to giggle in all the right places.

Yea...yea I don't think it's happening today. :F

Enjoy.

**DISCLAIMER- I do not own Naruto**

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That night, after I had skipped off after giving Tayuya a note, I thought about her. In a weird way, I she couldn't escape my mind. I wondered if she ever read it, if she had pondered if it could have been me: the girl from across the street.

I hoped so. I hoped that she read it with a smile tickling her lips, tugging in a small cute happy sort of way. Every time I thought about it, my heart would squeeze, and every time my heart would squeeze, I would mumble to myself that I needed to get a grip.

It was just Tayuya, just a small note that meant nothing. A piece of paper with scribbled words that she probably didn't even understand. A small pout pulled at my lips, because maybe she honestly didn't understand it and I was being all anxious and happy for nothing.

In some miracle, I managed to finish my homework early- before midnight. As a treat, I put my pencil down and practically tossed my homework away from me. You would think teachers would understand what stress us Juniors were going through, but it didn't seem to matter for them. They continued to pile on extra work and tests- it was like they didn't even care that they were slowly crumbling our lives.

I couldn't think of one Junior who wasn't the shell of who they used to be. Even the kids who spent most of their time partying were falling asleep in class one at a time, all because they were up until three finishing the homework- not partying like they were used to.

In my attempts to breathe from suffocating school- because it was like it had followed me home- I walked over to my window and opened it carefully. I took in a breath of fresh air as the wind gently started to pick up, tumbling inside. With a sigh, I took in another gulp, as if I had been drowning. Eventually, I ended up just leaning against the windowsill, merely feeling the wind tickle my waist.

Crossing my arms, I yawned and continued to stand there. I thought about turning on my fan, if only to get it freezing in my room so I could warmly snuggle into my teddy bear I still slept with. But instead of that, I decided to do something I hadn't really done since middle school.

I took the screen from the window and placed it against the wall on the floor carefully. Poking my head out, I smiled at the small piece of house I had to sit on. I used to go out there every night just to look at the stars before bed. It was mostly theatrical; I always hoped someone would pass by and think it was so cool I could sit on the roof of my house, if only a little section.

A laugh slipped my lips as I thought about how stupid I used to be. An even louder one came out when I came to the conclusion that I was still stupid, seeing as I was about to climb out there again.

It was smaller, of course, but there was still plenty of room. And despite my heart beating at the thought of me falling, it was easy to get to the spot I used to sit at, which was at the corner where my window and wall connected before morphing to the rest of the roof and spiking up.

Being outside was chillier than feeling the air from the open window. I crossed my arms, but refused to go back in, because I wasn't sure if I would have the motivation to climb back out if I grabbed the blanket from my bed. Honestly, if I went anywhere near it, I think I would pass out from exhaustion.

But I didn't want to sleep yet, I wanted to have this time. I never usually had a second to breathe- to actually do something I wanted before going to bed, not just doing homework or a paper and then passing the hell out the second I was done (which was usually at three in the morning).

The tree leaves near by picked up, shuffling and ruffling around. And then, through the soft noise of the leaves, I heard something else.

It sounded like a skateboard.

I blinked and leaned forward, looking around the corner in curiosity. My heart stopped for a moment when I saw Tayuya in her driveway, her longboard slowly going down the small hill as she swerved from left to right, curving in an easy type of way. From afar, I could see her hand going up to her face. When I saw the distant smoke that puffed from her mouth go into the air, I realized she had been smoking.

A frown tugged at my lips; when had she started such a bad habit? Biting my lip, I tried to refuse the urge to call her over- because I only wanted to do it to take that dirty killing stick away from her lips. Instead, I continued to watch her, and then tensed when I saw her turn when she got down the drive way, and curve to move down the road- which was a decent hill.

So pretty much she was coming directly towards me.

I held my breath, wondering what I should do. I mean it wasn't like I could get back inside without her possibly seeing me, because for now I was hidden away in the corner. If I decided to keep still, I could possibly get away with out her even realizing I was up here, sitting on my roof in the middle of the night.

All the possibilities seemed pointless, because in all honesty I hoped she would see me. I could never find the nerve to say hello to her unless her eyes caught mine, so tonight I was hoping it would be her to say hello first, even if I'm on the roof and I doubted she would find me.

She continued to slowly make her away down the street/hill until she was practically right in front of my house. The cigarette at her lips was hanging there as she looked ahead, her hands in her pockets with her headphones around her neck- they were the type that covered your whole ear. She still had on her school clothes, which was strange considering the time but not strange clothes wise.

So she basically just looked like regular old Tayuya, but this time I was seeing her at night.

As she rolled passed I watched, my breath shallow and my eyes glued on her. Finally she reached a point where she would be able to see me, and was now passing by my window. Disappoint washed over me as I watched her continue to ride by. Biting my lip, I already begun to gauge when I should start to move to leave while her back was turned. But, in the middle of my careful planning, her head turned, and just like that, her gaze went straight to my window.

I surprised her, actually I think I gave her a heart attack. I couldn't see her expression because it was dark, but I did see her wobble and fall off her board because she was going faster than in the beginning and I managed to throw her off. It wasn't graceful. Actually, my heart dropped when I saw her make the fall. I was suddenly feeling the need to jump off the roof to see if she was ok. Before I could think of a much smarter way down, she hopped up and cursed to herself.

"What the hell," I heard her say, "Cute girl watching you skate, and you fall on the ground. Nice job loser."

My slow smile worked its way up my lips. Heart thudding, I tried to push away the indirect compliment that I wasn't supposed to hear. Still, I couldn't help but toy with the sentence in my head. With another soft shiver passing me, I murmured to myself, "She thinks I'm cute."

It was stupid, I mean I knew I looked decent enough- though the whole school just figured I was absolutely gorgeous. But even though boys told me that I was beautiful, flawless, just absolutely stunning, I didn't have the same reaction like I did when Tayuya simply said 'cute'. It was confusing, but I couldn't help but smile stupidly to myself.

She picked up her board and walked over. With a look around, she took her cigarette from her mouth and called out quietly, "Hey, what are you doing up there?

I bit my lip at her voice. It was deeper, more mature and structured. And even though it was slightly deeper, it seemed smoother, more easy going and relaxed. With my toes wiggling against the roof, I answered, "I wanted to watch the stars tonight."

The closer she got, the more I could see her smile. It was good to know that even though school was being stressful, Tayuya was one of the few who still seemed to be the same. It was a relief, honestly. I didn't know how I would react if she had changed to the slightest. Well, there was one thing.

"Why are you smoking a cigarette?" I asked with a frown on my face, "Those are bad, you know. They kill people."

The question caught her off guard. She frowned for a moment, and then looked down at her hand, "Oh! You mean this. Uh..." She suddenly grew uncomfortable. Shifting, she started carefully, "Well, it isn't a cigarette, pumpkin- It's a joint."

I blinked at her words, not understanding. But a second later, my eyes grew wide as I opened my mouth and rushed, "Oh god, you aren't!"

"It isn't that bad," She started on damage control, seeing how I was starting to freak out, "And I don't smoke a lot, just here and there when I want to or when I need to. It's honestly not that bad."

"Tayuya what the fuck," I snapped, "Seriously, drugs? Like, I get it's stressful year, but honestly?"

"Ino honestly," her red hair fell back as she looked up at me, a deep frown on her lips, "it's not like I'm using it while chasing down three shots and some pills, it's just some smoking."

"Some smoking?" I repeated with a glare, "No, not just some smoking, that's weed. Apart of drugs. Apart of coccain and heroin."

She sighed as I went off. Silently, she moved to press the joint out against her skateboard. After that, she carefully stuck it in the folds of her beanie she was wearing, "You know," She mumbled as she kept her gaze away from me, her hands being shoved back into her pockets, "I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you without you freaking the hell out, so it kinda sucks that you had to find out this way."

I paused at her statement. The sudden build up of anger that was at my chest slowly melted away. With my eyes steady on her, I realized what she said. Then, softly, I replied, "You wanted to tell me?"

"Well yeah," her hair fell back again as she looked back up to me, a small frown at her lips, "I mean I knew you would find out eventually, and I wanted to make sure it was done proper. Not like, some popular girl told you or like... you caught me riding down the street smoking."

I bit my lip as she gave out another sigh and continued, "Listen, I'm sorry. I figured you wouldn't agree, so that's why it's been hard trying to tell you. But you know, for you, if you honestly wanted me to, I could try to tone it down a lot more. Like only smoke once every two weeks or something."

"Not just simply stop smoking?' I asked with a small frown, "I couldn't get you to simply quit?"

My words seemed to crush her in ways I didn't understand. With a twisted hurt expression, she looked back down and replied, "Nah Ino, not completely. Not just yet. But I think you'll be able to get me to one day. I think you'll be the only one who could."

Now that I was calm down enough, I realized how bitchy I was being. There was no reason I should be yelling at her. I mean, I couldn't make her apologize to the world for doing something she needed to heal BECAUSE of what the world has done. It wasn't right.

And it also wasn't my place.

I bit my lip for a moment, feeling foolish. My mind replayed what she had last said, each time the words tickling at my stomach. Then, I said, "Hold on, ok. I'm coming down."

"Oh," She snapped her eyes back to me, "No you don't have to."

"I want to," I explained to her.

"Nah, Ino it's fine. I'm just heading down the street anyway, so it's no hassle," She pressed.

I frowned a mumbled, "What, you don't want me to?"

A smile slipped her lips as she rolled her eyes, "Cut it out, you know I do. But I'd much rather you not lift a finger if you don't have to. I'm not worth the time, not tonight anyway."

I sighed, but caved, "Fine ok, I won't."

"Great," she grinned in reply, her brown eyes practically glowing with her flaming hair, "So hey, I got your note."

My heart jumped. Perking up, I felt a huge smile slowly growing at my lips as I asked, "Seriously? Did you know it was from me right away?"

"Yeah," she laughed with a smile, "And of course I did. No other girl would be leave me such a cute note. I knew for a fact that it was your work."

I couldn't stop my cheeks from burning with a blush, or stop my lips from pulling to a wider smile. So instead I settled for hoping she didn't see my idiotic reactions as I explained, "I didn't want to wake you up."

"Figures," she rolled her eyes with a shake of her head.

I pouted a bit, "What?"

Her eyes slid to mine as a small smile slipped her lips. I watched her with breath held, "A whole year of us not talking, and the moment you managed to stumble back into my life, you decide to to wake me up."

"Well," I started with my argument, "You looked so tired and peaceful, and Junior year has seriously been kicking our asses."

"Maybe I was tired," She replied with a shrug, "But Ino, seeing your face the first moment I wake up compared to getting some extra sleep? Do I even need to state which I would rather prefer?"

God. I bit my lips as my heart hammered. Swallowing, I stumbled, "But you were sleepy."

"But I was sleeping," she repeated in agreement with another roll of her eyes, "So I'm going to go now."

"Where are you going?' I asked quickly, hoping to make her stay for just a moment longer.

She pointed up the road and answered, "2 miles that way is my friends house, I'm heading over there."

"Are they ok?" I was still partially trying to get her to not leave, but I was also incredibly curious, if not slightly jealous. I asked because I could completely see Tayuya being the girl who walked all the way to your house just because you were crying.

I tried to push the thought of her comforting some girl out of my head. It was none of my business, but I couldn't control the anger that sparked deep within.

"He's fine," she answered good naturally, not noticing my plot, "He just wants to hang out because he's bored."

"It's a guy?" I asked, feeling a sense of relief.

"His name is Kiba," Tayuya replied with knowing smirk, "And yeah he's a guy. Actually, he's my best friend."

"Oh," I replied in surprise, "I didn't know you had one of those."

"Kinda do," she laughed with smile, "The idiot noticed I was a loner and decided to drag me into his life style, but ever since we've been close."

I took in what she said, sliding my legs to lay across the tiles of the roof as I processed her story. And then, with a jump and a gasp, I blurted, "He was the one who made you a skater."

Her smirk shifted to a grin, "That's right, cupcake. He was the one who found me a group to be with. Sixth grade was pretty pathetic year for me."

With a bite of my lip, I thought back of how small we were back then. I remembered looking around, watching as people began to clump up. It was like we were running water and suddenly we were turning into a solid: into ice. Even though it seemed so immature back then, I remember feeling the need to find a group to, to be apart of something.

I wonder why I never just turned to Tayuya. She would have taken me in a second.

"Anyway, the idiot wants to smoke and watch a movie before passing out. He's been having a rough time, figured I'd give in tonight," Tayuya continued with her smooth voice, "And he's kind of waiting for me, so I really do have to get going."

"Oh ok," I nodded quickly, forgetting that I had been the one who forced her to stay for a couple more minutes, 'Well, will you be going back home?"

"Yeah," She answered, "When the movie is over. So if you're up when I pass by, I'll come over and say good night."

A slow smile melted my features, "Really?"

"Yeah," Her smile was casual and bright, "I mean, I think I could rest just a lil easier if I had a girl to tell me good night right before bed. So if you are, I'm totally going to swing by."

I bit my lip to hide the other smile that was coming through in waves. Instead, as she turned to leave, I kicked my feet at the edge of the roof and wiggled my fingers good bye. Then she hopped on her board and rolled away, leaving me here to wait for her.

I totally tried to stay up. I even looked out the window continuously for her. Then, the moment my eyes finally shut, I kept my light on for her to come by and wake me up. Just so I can stick my head out. Just so I can see her. Just so I can sleepily mumble good night to the girl across the street.

And see her smile as she tells me sweet dreams.

But the next time my eyes opened, it was morning and my light was off. With a sad huff, I mumbled under my breath, "Excuse me fate, but what do you have against me anyway?"

I asked because the chances of my parents waking up in the middle of the night and traveling down the hall was slim to none, but yet it seemed to have happened because they turned off my light while I was sleeping.

So Tayuya never came by.

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**Boom. Chapter 4.**

**Read.**

**Review.**

**Sustain me. **

**Shycadet loves. out. **


	5. Summer

**A/N -** Hey fools, thanks for the reviews. It's a healthy amount. Hopefully I can start getting these out faster. I know I said this before, but I think after this chapter they will start being shorter with TayuaIno moments. So I'm excited that we have finally arrived at that point.

Right. Here we go.

**DISCLIAMER - I do not own Naruto**

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_Song used for this chapter - Say Lou Lou- Julian (The Chainsmokers Remix)_

What was silly was that we were trying so hard. I'm not sure if it was only me, but the effort Tayuya and I were putting in seemed obvious. We wanted to speak more often, we wanted to hang out, but it was like a dream, a distant goal that didn't seem possible. All too often, we would fall back into our non talking. I could count how many weeks would pass before we saw each other again, the real question was how may times have we actually hung out afterwards.

It was all starting to make sense, what Tayuya had so causally slipped to me during freshman year. Each time we saw each other, we offered plans and promised to speak again, but it would never happen. She was right. We pretend like we will actually hang out, but in the end we don't talk for another month.

Could you imagine the small frustration it brought with my scaling inappropriate high school life? Here I was, surrounded by guys and girls, and only a third of them were actually my friends. I had boys asking me out, girls dragging me to parties, teachers smiling and commenting on what a bright future I have- but what I didn't have was the redhead from across the street. The same girl who would pass me smooth smiles when we would speak, the very one who slips a laugh past my lips without even trying- yeah that was the girl I couldn't seem to get to stick around.

And deep down, I'm beginning to wonder if she is the only one I truly wished would stay. I didn't feel the same way for half the boyfriends I tried out. I had standards, I attempted to get to know them first, but as junior year slowly slipped past I started to notice how lonely I felt. Tayuya was always a nice breath of fresh air from the smog around me, but it always seemed like that breath never came often enough.

So sadly, I gave into the boys more and more easily, just in hopes to find the right one. It's funny, because I used to avoid these guys for years all because my friend told me that they would just dump me, but as of now, I have been the one to dump them. They always think it's going so smoothly, but I never fall into the familiar comfort they do. Even two months after dating, if they ever put their arm around me I squirmed inside and fought the urge to move away.

I didn't understand any of it, but I chalked it up to be just me not finding the right guy. All of them were handsome, funny, easy to be around, but none of them gave me warm fuzzy feelings or made me smile. And it was pathetic, because the mere 10 minutes I would spend with Tayuya every century was the only times I actually felt butterflies and easy smiles. I wondered if she could do this because we hardly hung out, or was it because I knew her for that long? Did I need to find a guy who has known me for awhile or who was hardly around? That would be worrying, because all of the boys that were interested in me couldn't possibly know me for 16 years, that and it was impossible to hardly see them with them constantly being around.

Or maybe all of it was just me stressfully thinking that I will forever be alone, even though I knew it wasn't true. And I think it is because of Tayuya that I believe there has to be someone out there who could really get to me, because if she could make butterflies appear and smiles to dance at my lips, then there had to be guy who could do that too.

Despite everything though, school eventually passed by. In a blink of an eye, we were suddenly into summer vacation, the terrorizing year of juniors finally being over. It was like coming up for air from drowning, and I think everyone felt the same way. The hell was over.

It was time to chill the fuck out till Graduation, because that was all we had left.

The first two days of summer were unadventurous, most likely because everyone was slowly powering down school mode. But then that very Saturday, there were parties left and right. It was hectic, and you would think that everyone would only decide to go to one, but it was like everyone would just drive to all of them! They would go in, dance, talk, have fun, and then go to the next party to do the same thing. It didn't matter to them that there were ten different places having epic parties, it was their duty to go and enjoy all of them.

My friends attempted to drag me along, and for awhile I did, but eventually I started to wind down. I began making up excuses and declining invites. They called me friendly vulgar names that pretty much meant I was punking out, but I simply laughed and apologized. They didn't seem to mind, and I think they expected it from me all the same.

Tonight was one of those hectic party nights. Yet again I was asked if I wanted to tag along, and yet again I declined. Instead, I stayed home and had no plans on what to do. My parents wandered about, speaking to me randomly about pointless things, but eventually they went to sleep with whispering good nights.

With a sigh, I crossed my room, stepping skillfully over everything on my floor. Out of habit, I glanced at my window, looking up at the sky. The moon seemed brighter tonight as it softly glared down at me. With a smile, I opened my window and climbed out. I don't know why, but it felt like a good idea.

It felt nice outside on the roof, just a bit chilly. I thought to myself that I would keep my window open so I could snuggle extra hard with my blanket, but then I heard a very familiar voice that interrupted my very lonely thoughts.

"Star gazing again, Princess?"

Blinking, I looked down to see Tayuya sitting on her board in the middle of the road. She was wearing a tank top with an Adventure Time hat on. My eyebrows came together in confusion, but shortly after a happy smile pulled at my lips. Leaning forward slightly, I replied, "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Since before the moment you looked out your window," She answered with a grin, "Not to sound creepy or anything, but in my defense I was here first. I've been sitting here for awhile."

I raised my eyebrows, processing what she was saying. Then, I started slowly, "So you've just been sitting there looking at my window?"

"As much as I would like to flatter you," She joked with a smirk, "No. I have been sitting here looking at the moon, and it so happens that if I sit right here, the tall trees behind the houses aren't in the way."

"Oh," I stumbled out embarrassedly with a heating blush, "I don't know why I figured…"

"It's alright" She cut in, her laugh only making me want to hide in a corner to die, "In **your **defense I do look like a creep right now. Sorry, I was really hoping you wouldn't catch me here."

"Why?" I asked after I managed to push past my embarrassment.

"How do I explain to an exceedingly cute girl that I have been sitting outside her house for hours?" She replied with a question, her voice becoming slightly flustered as she tossed me another smile, "It isn't a good look, you know?"

I couldn't help but laugh, understanding what she meant. With a nod, I gave her an amused smile and continued on with our conversation, "So why are you looking at the moon tonight?"

"I heard it would be bigger on this fine evening," She said with a glance towards the sky, "And it does kinda look like it, I guess it helps that I look sky all night now."

"You do?" I asked in surprise, my interest stirring, "Have you always?"

"No," She answered with another small smile. Then, clearing her throat, she continued, "Only since I spotted you that one night. You had gotten me into thinking that I should start stargazing as well."

My stomach twisted as I stumbled, "Are you serious?"

"Well yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Her shoulder shrugged as her easy smile continued to taunt me, "I mean, if Ino Yamanaka does it, it has to be pretty interesting."

"Oh whatever," I mumbled with a roll of my eyes.

"Don't be like that," she laughed, then with a small sigh she asked, "So, how's summer?"

"Um," I started, taking a moment to think before replying, "It's pretty wild."

"All those parties," She agreed with nod of her head, her red bang slipping past her hats secure hold. She took a moment to take off her hat and push her bang back up before putting it back on and adding a couple seconds later, "And boys."

My heart sunk. With a slight sputter, I explained miserably, "It isn't what it looks like."

"Nah," She cut in, her eyes turning knowing as they twinkled with her soft smirk, "This time Ino, I think it's exactly what it looks like."

I bit my lip and looked away, my heart thudding within my chest. Chewing nervously, I attempted to find some sort of excuse to give her, but shortly after gave up because I knew either way she would see right past my lie. With a sigh, I gave in and mumbled, "It's just been experimenting."

"Oh, so they are lab rats?" She asked with a laugh.

Groaning, I pushed passed her teasing, "It isn't funny. I end up being the complete bitch that breaks up with them when everything seems fine, but if I don't go out with them how am I supposed to know if I really like them?"

"Ok well first," Tayuya started, standing up from her board. She stomped at the end of it, kicking it up enough for her to catch it. Holding it at her side, she walked over with her eyes up at me, "You don't have to explain anything to me. You shouldn't mind my dumb teasing, I just…" She tailed off, and I waited for a moment to hear what she would say, but she decided not to finish. Instead, she shook her head and continued, "Whatever. Just know you don't have to explain to me. Second, there are plenty of ways to tell if you really like them without even going out with them."

"How then," I challenged with a huff, "Please show me the way, great Tayuya."

Her laugh was light hearted despite me being a jerk. Then, shrugging, she gave me a look and offered, "Well usually girls get the fuzzies when they like a guy."

"The fuzzies?" I repeated, a laugh tickling my throat, "What is that?"

"The fuzzies?" She replied in disbelief, "You don't know what those are? You get, what, like flutters or whatever," She struggled to explain, her fingers wiggling at her tummy as she spoke, "And it feels all gooey and warm like a cookie."

I couldn't even hold it back anymore. Laughing, I told her, "Oh god, you are adorable."

She gave me a grin before looking away, "Well, that's what I've always called them."

"No no, it sounds about right," I nodded in encouragement, my smile still at my lips, "So what else should I look for?"

"It's different with everyone," She said with a shrug, "So it really is up in the air. But, well if I had to go by Ino Yamanaka and how much I know her…" She paused, taking the moment to look up at me again. After a couple of seconds of doing nothing but pondering, she slowly started, "I would have to say that Ino wants someone who gives her the gooeies and makes her smile and feel warm. She probably wants cuddles and someone to sleep on the phone with every night.

My heart sputtered as my cheeks burned. She was oddly accurate, despite the fact that I didn't even know why I wanted a boyfriend so bad except for feeling a tad lonely. With a bite of my lip, I started, "And let's say you are right, how am I supposed to find a guy who does that?"

"A guy…" She said, a smile tugging at her lips, but it seemed off. Still, she held that smile as shook her head before looking away from me. Then, turning around, she laughed and replied, "I don't know, Princess. You'll have to do some soul searching, see if you catch this **_guy _**in the act of making you smile and flipping your stomach."

"Oh," I answered softly, watching as she started to walk away. Frowning, I called out, "What, are you leaving?"

"I think I will go smoke one real quick before heading to bed," She said as she twirled back around mid step. The weird smile was gone as quickly as it came. Yet with its disappearance, my stomach turned uneasily. Biting my lip, I asked, "Well, will you be watching the stars tomorrow?"

The question paused us both, and I'm not sure why. I simply sat there, waiting for her answer, because she honestly seemed to be thinking about it. Then, with a shake of her head, she replied, "I doubt it."

"Oh…" I said, falling silent as I slowly went to staring at my roof.

Tayuya's sigh caused me to look back up to her. Her hat was off as she scratched her head, obviously fighting with her self about something. Then, after a moment, she pushed her fingers through her hair before tugging her hat back on smoothly. Tossing her board onto the road, she sighed again and crossed her arms, "Do you know how incredibly sad you look when you do your disappointing 'ohs'?"

The question caught me off guard. I scrunched my eyebrows and opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out. It didn't matter, because she simply continued, "I don't know why we continuously do this, Ino, but if you honestly want to keep trying…" I didn't know what she meant. I started to ask but she only went on talking, "So, what are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Nothing," I mumbled with the kick of my feet.

She gave me a long look before sighing and saying, "Ok, well I have nothing going on either. Actually, I have mostly nothing going on for the rest of the summer. Why don't we try to hang out?"

I blinked, and even though I was still kind of confused, a smile slipped my lips. I leaned forward and said breathily, "I would like that."

"Of course you would," She teased with a roll of her eyes and a small smile. Then, turning around, she put a foot on her board and said with her back towards me, "You know, we graduate next year."

I watched her the whole time, a small frown tugging my lips at her random fact. Slowly, I replied, "Yeah, I know."

"Well," She said, hopping on her board and giving a kick as she went the opposite way from her house, "Don't you want to try to hang out way more than the past pathetic years we've been trying?"

She was going way too fast for me to reply. In seconds, she was out of earshot range without me yelling after her. I watched her until I couldn't see her anymore, and I stayed on the rooftop long after she was gone.

Then, right before climbing inside and wiggling into bed, I mumbled to myself.

Yes…

Yes I would like to hang out more than the past pathetic years we have been trying.

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****(1) - watch?v=tI2LwQGZTDA&list=RD022XqO4iiAm5c _(The youtube link for the song. Just put this after the / in your youtube url)__  
_

**There we go. Read. Review. Tell me what you think. Demand me to sustain you with endless chapters and frequent updates.**

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**Shycadet loves, out.**


	6. The Iron Giant

**A/N - **For _P_'s medical condition.

I wish you well and good health. Here's a chapter for your face.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

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_Song used for this chapter - (Singularity - Alone)_

Of course the next day we weren't able to hang out, or either the next. Actually, a week afterwards we still hadn't seemed to get free. But you know what, it didn't matter to us. I could tell, I could see it in both of our eyes. We didn't care any longer with trying to be subtle or caving in when the other gives lame excuses.

Tayuya said it clearly, and we both understood. Graduation was only around the corner, did we honestly want to waste the last year just like we wasted the others?

So of course the next day we didn't hang out, and of course the next week we still didn't hang out, but eventually we did get to together to talk. Even though it was late at night with me on the roof and her sitting on her board, we still actually spoke to each other a lot sooner than any other times during the past. And slowly, oh so very slowly, we started talking sooner and sooner.

More and more.

It got to the point that she was almost outside my window every night, board at her side with an iffy little grin on her face. We would talk about nothing, and that was the absolutely breathless part of it all. Tayuya was so easy to speak to, I found myself babbling about things that neither concerned her, nor mattered in her life. Yet, despite the constant slip of actual emotion and depth in our conversations, she quietly listened and nodded. Not once did she speak up or tell me her opinion.

But not once did I question if she was actually listening.

I attempted to stop myself at first, I would back track or take back a sentence, but Tayuya would never accept it. She'd give me this small smile with honest eyes as she casually pressed on how she didn't mind listening to what I wanted to say. And it was as if every time she would throw me that look, I would continue to finish one simple sentence, only to talk hours about simply...Nothing.

And just like that, my summers became from dodging parties to whispering to Tayuya at all sorts of night. Each time I was the roof, and she never seemed to mind. Slowly I slipped into a routine, and unconsciously I would revolve my day around the time I would think she would appear outside my window. I would finish dinner early, go to my room and actually look presentable. For a casual meeting between friends, I found myself trying to impress her.

But of course, I don't know why. It was as if I just wanted her to think good of me, to know that I was clean, showered, and was able to look decent even in the dead of night. I'm sure she never notices, and I'm sure it's all in my head, but still I continue to try.

One night though, in the middle of summer, she asked to do something completely ridiculous.

She asked to come up to my room to watch a movie.

"I'm- uh... What?" I stumbled out jumble words as I held onto the roof in disbelief.

"Let's watch a movie in your room," Tayuya repeated with a grin, holding up the DVD she decided to bring, "It'll be fun. And I mean, I'm always out here till the sun is rising anyway, so why not just do something else other than talk?"

"Um..." I started, completely unsure. Shifting, I began to wonder if my room was even clean enough to show off. In the midst of my worrying thoughts, she laughed with a shake of her head, "Are you seriously telling me after all this summer, we are yet to breach the point of going to each others houses?"

"This is a big step," I breathed as I talked with my hands, "I mean, you have never came over. Tayuya, you've been across the street for 16 years and you have **never** came over."

"Which is why I am trying to break this ridiculously lame trend we seem to be having," She explained with a roll of her eyes as she ran her hand through her hair, "Don't make it weird. Do you know how many days I had to prep myself up to ask?"

Hearing what she said brought an amused smile to my lips. Leaning forward, I rolled my eyes and mocked, "I'm sure it took courage."

"Well especially because I knew you would act like this," She said with a small glare, "I'm prettying much allowing you to stomp on my heart repeatedly with nothing but an 'okay' afterwards from me."

I laughed, but she only seemed to shift and look even more nervous. Sighing, I kicked my feet as I shook my head, "You knew I wouldn't have said no."

"Maybe," She attempted with a shaky smile, "But I knew it would take some convincing."

"Not much if I already gave in," I teased, watching her as she shrugged. With a huff, I stated, "Well now we have to deal with the awkwardness of you being in my room."

"Don't worry, Princess, I'm usually very good at defusing nerve wrecking situations," She joked as I moved to climb inside my window. After I jumped inside, I poked my head back out and gave a smooth smile, "Well ok, bomb defuser, get your ass up here. Oh and by the way, you have to climb up."

I gave her a sweet smile as she gave me a look of disbelief. With the blow at her bang, she scratched the back of her head as she sized up my house and everything she could possibly grab on to. After a moment, she looked back up at me with a smile, "You seriously are making me work."

"Well, I want to see how much more impressive the great Tayuya can get," I taunted with a smirk.

"Oh, and climbing to your room is supposed to impress you?" She asked with a knowing smile tugging at her lips, "I don't think so, pumpkin. I think you want to see if I can so I can start coming over every night, most likely to keep you company until you sleep."

My cheeks burned with an embarrassing stumble of words that tumbled out of my mouth, "Oh shut up, that isn't it at all. You shouldn't flatter yourself."

Before she could reply, I pulled my head back into my room. Cheeks still warm, I mumbled to myself how much of an idiot she was as I began quickly grabbing random things to throw in my closet. I didn't have much time, it seemed like seconds until Tayuya was climbing inside, but I'm sure it was at least three minutes later. She didn't seem to have broken a sweat, actually she jumped in and landed cat like on the floor with a small smirk on her lips.

"Impressed?" She teased.

I rolled my eyes and retorted, "I could have fell asleep with how long you took."

Her smile turned into a grin as she laughed, "I see, so I took too long. Well I'll be faster next time."

"Next time?" I repeated in question, my hands nervously going behind my back as I hooked my fingers together.

I watched as Tayuya's brown eyes warmed into honey as she watched me in amusement. Then, with a shift in her features, I was suddenly being tossed an easy smile as she replied smoothly, "Despite you thinking it a bad thing, I wouldn't mind coming in every night and staying until you fell asleep."

I instantly began to blush again. Quickly looking away, I moved to sit on my bed as I stumbled out, "Stop being a jerk and teasing me, it wasn't what I was thinking when I wanted you to climb up."

"Princess shut up," She retorted with a small nudge to my shoulder. I looked up at her with a small frown, but she was giving me such a warm smile. With honest eyes, she said informed, "Seriously, I mean it. If you ever need me over, at any time of night, you can call me."

I swallowed and looked away, fidgeting with the bed, "How can I call you over if I don't have your number?"

God, that sounded awkward, and I felt like tossing myself over the very roof I sat on every night. I don't know why I was asking for her number, nor did I figure I would be actually using it. But she sounded like she actually cared, and it was throwing me off. I mean I know we've known each other for awhile, but we never talked at all. I couldn't possibly make myself believe that she was actually sincere when it has only been a month since we've actually been talking.

"Well," Tayuya started smoothly, dancing right in front of my thoughts, "That's the point of it all. Of course I planned on giving you my number."

My stomach twisted, "Why now?"

Her red bang shifted further down her forehead as she laughed, "Because what you said was true, this is a really big step."

Her laughing calmed me down a bit. Actually, it was so musical that I found myself smiling softly as I watched her. When I caught myself, I shook my head carefreely and looked away, my eyes wandering for where my DVD player could be. I hadn't watched a movie in so long, so it was hard to remember where I saw it last.

"So I brought over 'The Iron Giant'," Tayuya informed as I stood up and began shifting things for the DVD player I managed to find, "It's my absolute favorite kids movie, and it's pathetically the only movie I had."

I laughed as I picked up the machine, turning around with it in my hands. Smiling at the embarrassed look on her face, I tossed casually, "So this movie must be really good."

"Oh man, you don't even know," She replied with a grin, "I used to watch this every night before I went to bed."

I laughed again while setting up the DVD player to my TV. Tayuya moved to my side to help, grabbing some of the wires and twirling it around to plug it in. Kneeling next to her, I bumped her shoulder and teased, "Seriously? Every night? When? When you were five?"

She wobbled but caught herself. Giving me another playful grin, she shook her head and stumbled out nervously, "Yeah no… Like, all during my high school years."

I blinked, the information catching me off guard. But after a couple of seconds, a laugh bubbled up my throat. Giggling, I gasped out, "So you mean 9th, 10th and 11th grade?"

She laughed as well, bumping against my shoulder as she stood up straight. Looking down at me, she said, "Don't even mess with me about it! I had just found it, and it was gone for years! So I was excited."

I smiled to try to hide the small giggles that were still bubbling. Standing up as well, I poked her, "Ok ok, it's fine. Obviously it's a really good movie."

"If you have never saw it, then I am about to blow your mind," She said excitedly as she placed the dvd in while I went to sit on my bed; It was against the wall across the TV. I crawled onto it and moved all the way to the back, leaning against the wall, "This movie is pretty much up there with 'Balto'."

It was funny seeing her so passionate about something, I never really saw her like this before. Usually my view of Tayuya was the cool collected skater who was never really fazed by anything and tossed smiles so easily you thought it was her profession. It was like I was seeing her truly happy for the first time.

And it was the most adorable thing I ever had the pleasure to witness.

She turned around, giving me a grin as I smiled back at her in amusement. Then, with a look around, she pointed to her feet and said, "I think it would be best if I just took these off, don't you think?"

I laughed and nodded with a teasing smile, "Oh yes, a very bright idea miss Tayuya."

My teasing didn't seem to bother her. Actually, she only smiled happily and moved to untie her shoes. She decided to sit down at the edge of the bed, and I watched as she bent down and began her work. Her shirt dragged up slowly along the way, and with my eyes wandering I noticed her slim waist and tanned skin. With a bite of my lip, I looked away with unknown cause of embarrassment. But as I nervously tried to keep my eyes off of her smooth skin, I became jealous, but in a very friendly way. It was just that even though people called me gorgeous and beautiful, I wished I looked more like Tayuya. Her skating figure was to die for, and I was just plain Ino.

Seconds later, she popped up from the bed, placed her shoes neatly by my window, and pressed play on the dvd player before sitting back down. With a small bounce, she turned and gave me a smile before scooting back against the wall and sitting next to me. We weren't exactly close, but it was closer than what we were used to during the whole summer. Giving me a nudge, she grinned and said, "Are you ready to be amazed?"

"Yes," I replied, only for the sake of entertaining her, "I'm completely excited."

"Good," She nodded with with a smile, "This movie is about to destroy all your feels."

I doubted her, honestly I did. But by the end of my night, I swear to god my feels were numb from all the emotional hurricanes that were in the movie 'The Iron Giant'."

I wondered why I have never heard of that title. It was ridiculous that I had never been exposed to such an amazing movie as a child. But it didn't matter, because I already knew that most likely by the end of the week.

I was going to ask her to come over so I can see it all over again.

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(1) - /watch?v=e7IOIAhUEK0&list=PLM8k2ZmjGmH6MZDAIBKl8WN5EZMg3z2e2&index=57 ( Just stick this at the end of your youtube url right after the Slash /)

**Oh you feel it don't you.****The feels. They are coming, Ooooh they are coming.**

**Read. Review. Demand me to sustain you. Believe it or not, _P_ was deathly sick. I just effing recovered a fan bro. **

**I should get like... A candy bar or something. MAKE IT HAPPEN. REVIEW. And if you ask nicely enough, I could possibly poop out another chapter on an empty stomach! Lol ok i'm so done. Im just happy at the moment.**

**I LOVE YOU **_**P. **_**STAY A FAN FOREVER.**

**Shycadet loves. Out.**


	7. Through the Night

**A/N - **So the moment I was bombarded by reviews at like 10 at night, I decided to write this. You guys always keep me on my toes and excited.

So here's another chapter for your face. I love you all.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Eocene Nine- __Chasm_

After that night, I got her number. The strangest thing of it all was that I found myself using it. No, not to call her over just to stay until I sleep, but for actually texting her out of blue when I was bored. The best thing about it was that she always seemed to be there, and it was comforting. Out of all my friends, she was the one I knew would respond immediately after.

That's right, we were friends now.

We no longer sat outside and talked, actually every night she was in my room. We weren't always watching a movie, but a few times we did rewatch The Iron Giant upon my request. No, usually we either just sat on my bed and talked, or I ended up surfing the web on my laptop as she simply just laid down and read next to me.

Her company was always beyond enjoyable. We would stay in my room, small lamp light on, in the silence until the morning. The whole time, in the deadliest of silence, she would randomly speak facts to me about some of the wars she read about. Some of them seemed to tickle her amusement, joking about how stupid the reason was for the war.

But sometimes, the wars really got to her, and you could see that she had the slightest of sorrows for what happened in the past. These were the times I was the most confused. Why did she care so much about the past, about wars around the world that we never learned in school? Even if she explained it to me, I think I simply wouldn't understand.

It was her character, I guess. Tayuya was just made to be caring.

"Listen to this," Tayuya mumbled beside me. Her head was near my knee as I sat cross-legged with my back leaning against the wall. Her legs hung off the bed as she laid on her back, the book she was reading hovering over her as she held it up, "The War of Outrage, started in the outskirts of the sea when pirate Captain Manwell's son was killed over a debate with the warden looking after the coast in the west. The war lasted 20 years, and Captain Manwell lived throughout the whole thing. They said he wrought terror to the land, and screamed that the seas would swallow them all. His justice was drowning the man who killed his son, who had hid for years from the pirate. When the captain found him, they said despite his own son being killed, he refused to kill the Warden's very much alive son. Before he drowned the man, it is said that he promised the Warden that he would never touch his boy, and that he was safe. It was a father's promise to another father, one he kept until death."

I blinked at the information, finding the war interesting- which was starting to become a trend. Pausing my fingers at the keys of my laptop, I turned to look down at Tayuya and spoke, "Wow, that one was pretty epic."

"Right?" Tayuya commented with her eyes still on her book, "The man killed his son, but the Captain promised not to hurt his- even after the savage things he did to all those other people who stood in his way during the war. It's amazing that even back then, children were always kept unbias and neutral."

"That's because they are innocent," I nodded while turning back to my laptop, "They never deserve to take punishment just for what their parent did. Plus, wars over children always seem the most devastating."

"And that's because of the outrage of a child being killed," She mumbled, slowly falling back into her book, "There is never a good reason to involve the children, and when they are involved, no one stands for it. That's why this Captain Manwell was such a deadly force. Plus he was a fucking pirate that believed in the sea gods, like who the hell fucks with a pirate?"

"After that war, I doubt anyone ever did again," I smiled while looking back down to her with a laugh, "Don't you think?"

Her brown eyes glanced at mine before she gave me a grin, "Yeah, totally agree."

And just like that, we fell into a healthy silence. It didn't faze either of us, its was comfortable and warm like the blanket we were sitting on. I'm not sure how it got this way, one moment I'm squirming over simple smiles and now I can sit here with her so close without feeling awkward. It was nice. And her presence always felt like a small flickering fire.

I couldn't help but get closer to her warm flame, the heat like a drug to my body. I found myself asking her to stay later and later, all because I wanted her here until I was completely exhausted. It was gradual at first, the demand for her in my life. But slowly it became steep, and I fell into asking her to stay later more and more often.

She never seemed to mind, and honestly she was never overly tired. I would lay there in my bed, her leaning against the wall beside me, eyes slowly drooping as I fell into whispers, talking of nothing in particular. As I fell silent, she would respond, her voice tickling my exhausted senses. Some nights she allowed me silence to sleep, reading her book as I drifted to dreams.

But sometimes.

Sometimes I found myself asking her for too much.

"Will you tell me a story?" I whispered at 4 in the morning, my fingers playing with the bed as I stared at her thigh, which were covered by her sweats.

"A story huh," Tayuya murmured as she continued to look at her book that sat on her lap, "Why a story? You feeling adventurous?"

I shook my head and stared at my finger as I played with the sheets, "I can't tell you."

"Oh come on," She teased softly, placing her book down on her lap after shutting it. Shifting, she gave my sleepy figure a natural smile, "Go ahead and tell me, I bet it isn't even weird."

I blushed slightly as my stomach twisted. With the quietest mumble, I admitted, "I like the sound of your voice."

I tried not to look away, I really did, but the grin she gave me was so radiant that I couldn't stand looking her straight in the eyes. My cheeks burned hot as I fell into an embarrassing silence. It didn't last long, because soon I had the absolute pleasure to hear her teasing tone, casually toying with my hurricane of emotions, "Oh, so it's my voice you want to fall asleep to?"

"Never mind," I rushed out with a stumble, "Stupid, forget it."

"Well wait, hold on," She laughed lightly as she leaned towards me, walking her fingers across my bare shoulder, "You didn't even give me time to gush about how happy I am to hear that."

Her touch made me shiver. Curling more into my blanket, I hid behind it slightly and asked meekly, "Seriously?"

"Yeah," She replied smoothly, her smile warm as she slowly dragged her fingers away, "What do you want me to talk about, Princess?"

"Well," I started, hiding completely under my blanket. Feeling my breath slowly starting to warm the trapped air around me, I continued, "I always talk usually, about personal things. I never hear anything about you…"

"You want to get to know me better," Even though I couldn't see her, I could imagine her amused smile. Squirming in my hiding spot, I listened, "Well that is fair. I'll tell you all you wish to know."

"No, I want you to be the one to tell me," I explained from under the blanket, poking the bed as I did so, "I don't want to ask questions. I want you to tell me everything you want me to know… Get it?"

I heard her laugh as I pouted under the blanket, "Alright Princess, I get it. Fine. I'll tell you what I want."

"Thanks," I mumbled softly.

"Anything for you," Her gentle reply brought a small shiver throughout my body. Curling more as I shut my eyes, I prepared myself for the thing I never wanted to allow myself to have. If she spoke to me until I slept tonight, there was no way to stop it from happening again. I was sure of it, it would slowly become a trend.

"My favorite color is red, for obvious reasons," She whispered as I hid, my eyes peacefully closed, "My days are consumed with sleeping because I spend my nights with a cute girl that asks me over," A smile slipped my lips as I kept quiet, "As of now, I'm skating, smoking, and waiting for senior year."

"You still smoke," I asked quietly, my tone sad.

She gave a sigh and I felt the bed shift as I laid there. A moment later, I heard her say, "Yeah, but I never do it in front of you. I usually end up waiting till the mornings if I am hanging with you at night."

"Besides them being completely bad," I chastised sleepily, "And the fact that you should just toss the habit completely, why don't you want to come over high?"

Her laugh was quick and nervous as she stumbled, "Well, I'm not sure that's the best idea, princess."

I shifted, peaking out with one eye to watch her as I asked, "Why?"

"Well," Her red bang slid forward as she leaned to stare at the bed, "When I'm high, I am incredibly cuddly. LIke, I cuddle with Kiba all the time, but it works out because he loves the cuddle too."

I blinked, then with a frown, I asked with my heart twisting, "You don't want to cuddle with me?"

"Oh god," She choked out, shifting and turning to me. Catching the eye I was poking out, she gave me an earnest smile said, "I mean yeah, duh, but how weird would that be. I mean. I know I'm here all the time but… well seriously you'll just think I'm a creep."

"I like cuddles too," I slipped out as I went back into hiding, "I wouldn't think it would be creepy."

"Oh jeez," She sighed out, another small laugh dancing through the dark silent air, "You are giving me a heart attack."

The smile on my lips appeared all on its own. With a small roll of my eyes, I stared at the sheets as I replied, "You are the one making it weird. Why wouldn't I want cuddles, I thought you knew me."

"Ok princess, ok," She chuckled, "I'll keep that in mind for the future."

"Thank you," I mocked with a pout.

"No problem," Then after a pause, she continued on with her rambling. I'm not sure how long she talked for, because her voice drifted me to sleep the moment she parted her lips. All I know was that in the morning, when I woke up, there was a small little note left for me next to my pillow.

In a very neat Tayuya scribbled fashion, the note was short and pointless, but till this day I hold onto it.

_Good night beautiful._

_And good morning gorgeous._

_I'll be back tonight. -T_

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(1) - For your enjoyment to how my mind works. (/watch?v=xlK7c4-e5-o)

**Right, I'm just starting to get into this story now, so read review and tell me what you think. Tell me to slow down, or tell me I'm doing everything right like a boss.**

**Cuz I'mma boss either way, but just saying. Ego strokes feel good for a poor writer of fanfiction ;)**

**Alright, I have to jet. Look forward to an early chapter!**

**OH AND_ SHYCADET FAN_ ****besides the awesome name, thanks for the candybar. Lol. I thought it was funny. Alrighty.**

**Shycadet loves, out.**


	8. The small yet serious steps

**A/N - **Well oh my goodness, my fan base for this pairing is rising.

My evil plan to convert SakuraxIno fans seem to be working. *Insert evil laugh with choking cough here*

I would like to thank your faces for taking the time to review. And just like that, here's another chapter.

Soon, very soon, your otps shall change!

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

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One night, earlier than expected, Tayuya showed up outside. Her hat was pulled low as she had her hands shoved in her pockets. As I opened the window, poking my head out, my stomach twisted in nervousness. I already knew something was wrong, I could tell.

"Tayuya?" I called softly, looking down at her, "What are you doing here?"

She shifted, grabbing her hat, she twisted it on her head and tugged it backwards. The smile she gave me was shaky and trying, but all the same she said smoothly, "I uh... well I just figured I'd visit you early princess, surprise you and all."

I gave her a sympathetic smile, not believing a word of it. With a sigh, I gently entertained her, "Oh? And what did you come to surprise me with."

"The favorite movie of the summer," She presented with another smile, The Iron Giant in her hand as she showed me. I laughed and gave her a look. With a sigh, she scratched the back of her head as her eyes shifted away. Then, in a quiet tone, she mumbled, "Alright, fine. So I just... wanted to come here earlier."

I bit my lip and looked at the time. Fighting myself quickly, I finally gave in and said, "Alright, come up. But hurry."

It wasn't early enough for my parents to come checking in on me. Actually, they had just gone to bed, which was why I was nervous. Still, as I stepped back from the window, I assured myself that they hardly ever gone out of their room after saying goodnight.

I cleaned up a little bit more while waiting on Tayuya, but she didn't take long. All those nights of coming into my room, she has pretty much mastered it. She jumped inside quietly, standing up while rubbing her neck. When she caught my eyes, she gave another trying smile, "Sorry about this."

Her look paused me in the middle of my cleaning. Slowly standing up fully, I sighed and crossed my arms, "Why don't you tell me about it."

Her brown eyes grew wide in surprise. I watched her as she began to sputter out quickly, "Because it isn't that big of a deal. I just- it was just a crappy day is all."

I gave her another look, and when she recognized it, she laughed out tiredly before pressing, "I'm serious. Don't worry about it. I'm just here because I really love being around you. You make my day better no matter what."

Heart twisting, I looked away and attempted to remember how to breathe. While I struggled to regain myself, I mumbled for Tayuya to put on the movie. She jumped at the command, casually throwing in the dvd and pressing play. She did it so quickly, I didn't have the time to sit down. I stood there, trying not to smile at the way she grinned. Then, a second later, she dramatically bowed and delicately offered her arms to the left.

"After you, Princess." She teased.

A laugh slipped my lips as I rolled my eyes. Bouncing into the bed, I turned to her and mocked, "If I'm the princess, what does that make you?"

"Me?" She asked with a smirk, her hand casually going in her pocket as she turned sideways and bounced on the bed as well, her eyes to the ceiling with her back against the bed, "Well, I would say I'm your shining knight."

"Mm," I hummed, peeking over at her head. Her grin made me smile. With another roll of my eyes, I poked her nose, "Totally not. My knights are brave."

She rolled over, sitting up to her knees. Running her hand through her hair, she tossed me a charming smile and said, "But I am brave."

"Where's the proof?" I teased with a small smile. Leaning forward, I taunted, "How am I supposed to know you're brave?"

"I do brave things everyday, princess," She held firm, her arms crossing as she plopped back on the bed, crossing her legs as well, "You just don't know it."

"Like?" I pressed.

Her laugh was musical as she shook her head, "Like the fact that I stand outside your window every night, hoping you'll ask me in."

I gave her a look, but she only stared back earnestly. With a sigh, I tried to completely believe her, but I couldn't. Doubt in my tone, I pointed out, "But you know I will."

"But it doesn't make it any less scary," She argued, her smile small , "One of these days you will say no, and I don't know how I would handle it."

"You'd be fine," I said with a roll of my eyes.

Her red hair shifted at her shoulder as she shook her head. With an airy tone, she replied, "Sure ok, think what you want."

I bit my lip, her snappy retort making me uneasy. With a glance at her eyes, I watched as she slowly turned her gaze to her hands, rubbing her fingers with her thumb quietly. Sighing, I offered, "Well, that does seem brave."

And just like that, her bright smile and brown eyes were on me again. Grinning, she nodded and said excitedly, "Right? Like how incredibly tough do I have to be to willingly go through with this every day?"

I laughed, amused by her sudden change of emotions. Then my eyes wandered to my tv, watching as the movie had already started. Turning back to her, I asked, "So, why did you want to watch this so early?"

"Oh," She stumbled out, her eyes falling nervously to the side, "I uh- Well I just... Er... yea..."

I waitedfor a couple of seconds, but she only stayed staring at my floor. Rubbing my temple with a small roll of my eyes,, I leaned forward and bopped her on the head. Her face went blank in surprise, and then with a blink she turned to me and silently sat there. With a smile, I joked, "It sounded like you broke there for a second, so I totally fixed you."

She laughed instantly. Palm at her forehead, she giggled out, "By punching me in the face."

"Oh you are completely exaggerating," I sneered, but laughing seconds afterwards, "It didn't even hurt. Now that you are fixed and able to talk though, why don't you tell me what you were TRYING to say."

Breathing out a single breath, she gave me a solid nod before saying evenly, "I had a shitty day, I went to smoke, and I'm pretty much here to nervously take you up on the offer of...cuddles."

The serious way she said the last word only made me laugh. Giggling, I looked up at her and gasped out, "So you came to cuddle? That's all."

"You see," She started with a wag of her finger, a small glare on her face, "When we were first taking these little steps, you were freaking the fuck out. But now that I actually sit here and have a very reasonable heart attack about asking for cuddles, you think I'm the crazy one?"

I laughed again, swatting her hand away, "Oh god, don't cry about it. That totally isn't true."

"Hell no, not fair," She huffed, fighting my hand away as well before giving me another glare, only to follow it up with a charming smile, "Just kidding."

"Of course you are," I breathed out with a tugging smile at my lips. Then, leaning forward I bravely teased, "Do you want to be the big spoon or the little spoon."

That did it, I had officially destroyed her raging emotions. Her cheeks actually turned red, if only slightly, as she began to complain loudly. Laughing, I grabbed her furiously moving hands and held them still. She glanced at me with a glare but I only smiled sweetly, "I'm serious, loser. Which do you like better?"

Clearing her throat, she croaked as she admitted nervously, "Big spoon."

I smirked and laid back, my fingers slowly dragging away from hers. Tilting my head, I looked up at her and teased softly, "You know, I'm totally not surprised."

Despite me being a complete bully, she smiled good-naturedly. Shifting, she crawled over my legs to be against the wall. I felt her bare sking against mine for the briefest moment, on this rare night she decided to wear basketball shorts. As she passed above me, my eyes brushed against hers. She paused, looking down at me for a moment. I held my breath, not knowing what to do or say. But it didn't matter, she only gave me a grin as she asked, "Why aren't you surprised again?"

A split second later, she was breaking our eye contact and rolling to my side. With a flustered breath, I rolled over to face the tv, my back facing her.. Laying there nervously, I mumbled, "Because you seem like the type of person who likes to do the holding."

Despite my effort to sound normal, my breath was shallow and my voice was shaky. I held completely still, my stomach feeling weightless. As I kept quiet, in the seconds of absolute stillness, I felt her iffy hand slip across my waist, and with a shiver of satisfaction, I felt the warmth of her chest against my back. As she shifted closer, her nose running against my back shoulder, she murmured quietly, "In my defense, you look like the girl who wants to be held."

I bit my lip nervously, not knowing what to say. My retort would be weak regardless with my mind slowly going numb with how nerve wrecking this was. Still, as I felt her hand drag across my waist and to my stomach, I flinched my tummy in and replied quietly, "Well I do like to be held."

"Then it works out, princess," she teased, pushing her hand under my arms, which were there to hold myself together because I felt like shattering to a million pieces. But the more her warmth spread through my body, the more comfortable I became.

Opening my arms to her hand, I allowed her to press against my chest. Her fingers tickled just under my chin, and unconsciously I found myself curling into them and pressing her soft touch against my cheek. I listened as she sighed, a very relaxed and at ease one. She pressed closer as I smiled slightly against her fingertips. Then with a mumble, I slipped out, "You're so warm."

Her laugh was soft as he shifted against me, tugging my body back against her, "I was just thinking that maybe I should have done this a lot sooner."

I simply smiled and allowed my eyes to wander to the TV. Watching it, I slowly began to defrost more and more. After a moment, a thought popped in my head and I laughed while asking, "Does this mean Kiba is the little spoon when you guys cuddle?"

Tayuya's laugh danced around my left ear, her breath tickling my neck, "Don't tease him about it. He's just a big teddy bear when no one is around. He usually just ends up laying his head on my lap."

"Mm," I hummed, not being able to help the twinge of jealousy that stirred within me, "He must love that."

"Well I'm sure his dreams are happy," she joked with a another small chuckle, "Despite what you might think, when we get high we just end up knocking the hell out. So he lays there on my lap while I fall asleep sitting up on the couch."

I smiled, the scene playing out in my head. I could practically see the way they just randomly fall asleep, tv still on during a lazy afternoon.. If I looked past the jealousy, it was almost cute to imagine. In the midst of my daydreams, my eyes wandered back to the tv. Then seconds later, we fell into a warming silence, doing nothing but watching the movie.

Time passed by, and eventually I just grew more and more comfortable. I found myself pressing back against her, wiggling closer as I curled just a little bit more. At one point Tayuya moved, grabbing the blanket before pulling it over us both and tucking it under me. I couldn't help but smile in amusement, knowing that she was probably thinking I was freezing. But that wasn't it. I just loved the feel of her against me.

I fit so perfectly in her arms, and I couldn't help but shift closer at the thought of her holding me. Her arm was firm around my waist, and her fingers had managed to wiggle into my hand. I twisted my fingers as well, lacing it with hers. And we stayed like that for an hour, not saying a thing.

Eventually, out of the blue, she leaned into me and whispered quietly in my ear how her day went. I listened, paying attention to every word. I never spoke up or gave my opinion.

But she never questioned if I was listening.

And that's how it happened. That's how I got Tayuya to speak to me about something other than wars, skateboarding, or the occasional smoking adventure. She complained to me about things that actually bothered her, even dipped into explaining how she didn't know whether she should really go to college, even though she already applied to 5 of them.

She seemed so stressed, and it worried me that she was able to hide it so well. Never did I imagine that her parents actually got on her nerves, or that she was actually struggling with life decisions. But as she spoke to me truthfully and earnestly about everything that had piled up for the past year, I promised to myself that I would always check to make sure she was fine- even if we were to suddenly stop talking. The thought of not being as close as we were now hurt, but I knew there was no way to keep me from checking on her constantly now, no matter what happened to us later.

While Tayuya might claim she is a knight, I understood she needed someone to take care of her too.

And I wanted to be that person.

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_Sadly there was no real song I used for this chapter, maybe next time. _

**Am I building up your feels? ****If yes, then I'm happy to say that I'll soon be destroying them. LOL Jk. Just want to keep you on YOUR toes. Shit happens.**

**Nuff said.**

**Read review, you know the drill. Thanks for those who take the time each time. Now, sustain me with moar. ****Im a review whore. Rawrrrrr**

**Ok I'm totally out of here.**

**Shy loves, out. **


	9. It's all about the Cookies

**A/N - **Because the flow of my updates can not be matched when I am worked up: Here is another exciting episode for you. Now let's hope I don't get stuck after this one and not update for a day or two.

Ooooh god you guys would be pissed.

Dont you lie. I know it. I can see the reviews and pms now.

"SHY IT'S BEEN AN HOUR. Get your lazy ass on the chair and write me a mind boogling chapter you freaking amazing girl you."

See I give you credit. I assume you will simply **KNOW** to ego stroke me in the midst of the hurricane of hate. :3

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

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_Songs used for this chapter - Tall Ships - Best Ever (Draper Remix) & Till Death - Last Wish_

Step by step, I found myself stumbling more and more into Tayuya. She was no longer just spending her nights with me, but her days too. It took lots of convincing to force her to meet my parents, but I constantly pointed out that there would be a time where they come into my room wondering who the hell this red head girl was laying with me.

So, eventually she gave in, but she honestly didn't want to. She was nervous, mumbling how we were taking steps way too fast and the possibility of them completely hating her. I ignored her the whole time, teasing and laughing. In the end, my mother fell in love the instant she saw Tayuya and my dad pretty much did a nod of approval. Of course they didn't care who I hung out with, but it did help that Tayuya seemed to really know her way around manners and impressing the adults around her.

"Cookies?" Tayuya commented with a huge grin at my mother, "Will it be a crime to steal one, Mrs. Yamanaka?"

"No dear, eat as much as you like!" My mother gushed happily as she practically bounced over, "You seem to be the only one who truly enjoys them. I made them for your next visit!"

"Just for me!" Her brown eyes grew wide as she excitedly grabbed three in one hand, "Thanks so much. They are so delicious, your family should be making money off of these."

"See there!" My mom said with a poke at my shoulder, "She thinks they are amazing, why can't you?"

"You've been forcing the same cookies down my throat since I was small," I rolled my eyes at her and gave Tayuya a small glare. It was almost as if she was trying to win my mother over with plans of being secretly adopted to this family, "So many sweets kind of pushed me away from cookies and other stuff. I couldn't even eat them if I wanted to, mom."

"Well luckily Tayuya here loves free sweets," Tayuya chimed in happily with a cookie filled grin at my mother, "You can stuff me full, Mrs. Yamanaka. I want this to be my dying meal."

Oh god, I was going to kick her ass as soon as my mother found something much more interesting to bother. I rolled my eyes again as my mom gave her a beaming smile, turning to me afterwards to stick her tongue out. Then, with a skip in her step, she musically called as she walked up the stairs, "Take as much as you want, Tayuya. Not like this house appreciates such a blessing!"

Tayuya took three more cookies while I gave her a glare. Giving me a lopsided grin, she shrugged, "What? Your mom rocks."

"I see the games you are playing here," I pointed with a squint, "There is no way she'll ever love you more. She's mine."

She gave her red hair a scratch as she laughed lightly, "Aw come on Ino, why can't we share the love. Obviously I'm the favorite."

"Never," I said simply, pushing her shoulder before walking past her to go to the living room, "Never ever ever ever."

"Psh fine," she said from behind, following me as I walked, "Just know I'll be coming over for the rest of my life just for cookies."

"I think that's why you come over now," I retorted with a laugh, sitting down and grabbing the remote, "Why are you here anyway? I thought you and Kiba were going for a ride."

"He bailed," Tayuya answered, plopping down next to me on the couch. Taking another bite of her cookies, she explained, "He had to go to his grandma's. Sweet old lady, I love her. Sucks that I couldn't go too, she seems to love me as well."

"I wonder why that is," I pondered half heartedly as I scrolled through the guide on the tv, "I mean. Old ladies and mothers? You must be doing something right."

"It's my easy going smile and charming manners," She said with a grin, "Just seems to do it for them. And I mean, half the time I think that's the only reason me and you are friends."

I gave her a look, but she gave me one back. With a nudge of her shoulder, I teased, "No. It's obviously for the cuddles."

"The cuddles huh?" She joked back, leaning back on the couch with a small smile at me, "You can't lie princess, you also love the way I toss you smiles hoping for one back."

I tried to hide the tugging at my lips as I argued, "Ok, maybe at first. But they aren't as effective anymore, now why is that?"

"That's because I've done so much work to wiggle into your life completely," She replied smoothly, her eyes set on mine. Then, with a small grin, she looked away and mumbled, "I mean there is no shame in it. I think I try so hard for you because of the little smiles you slip me."

My cheeks burned and with my heart racing, I stumbled, "But I smile at you all the time."

"Exactly," She nodded as her gaze stayed at the ground in front of her. And even though she wasn't looking at me, there was a small little tug at her lips, "That's exactly why I try so hard, so I can get you to keep doing it."

"Shut up," I rushed, embarrassed by the way my tummy flip flopped. Quickly, I tripped out, "Just shut up, you're being stupid."

"Stupid?' She blinked, a frown pulling at her lips. Her bang slid down her forehead as she turned to look at me, tugging at her beanie with a pout. Seconds later, she realized why I was being so rude. With a laugh, she pointed, "Oh see there, I am still effective!"

"Whatever," I mumbled quickly as I turned away, "I don't know what you are talking about."

Tayuya continued to snicker beside me, poking when I thought by some god sent miracle she probably finally let it go. But no, she continued to annoy me with teases late into the night. Even my mother began to tease me, Tayuya kindly telling her everything. My mom, believe it or not, was ten times worse. She poked at my cheeks and taunted that Tayuya was just too charming for us both.

Why the hell did everyone in my house have to be crazy? I was grateful my dad didn't show up, because he would carry it on for the rest of the week just for some sick sort of amusement.

Tayuya's laugh made my eyebrows twitch. It was midnight, and she was still poking fun. With a huge groan, I whirled at her and snapped, "What the hell, just shut up."

Her lip poked out, "Aw come on, Ino. Don't be mad."

"You've been giggling about the same stupid joke for hours!" I vented angrily with a glare, "So yeah- no, fuck you I'm going to be pissed."

Her sigh was easy as she gave me a small smile. It only pissed me off more, so I sneered before turning away and going to the dvd player. Of course we were watching the same stupid movie just like any other stupid night. Huffing, I turned around to rudely tell Tayuya that I didn't want any cuddles so she might as well sit up, but I couldn't even take in the breath to say it all. I stopped dead at the sight of her, her arms open wide.

She was still smiling, but in a soft apologetic way. I stopped myself from saying what I wanted, but I didn't stop myself from giving her another glare. She tilted her head and sighed in a disappointed type of way, but only slipped me another pull at her lips as she moved towards me. Against my permission, because I stood there with my arms crossed stubbornly, she wrapped her arms around me and gave me a warm soft squeeze.

"I'm sorry," She mumbled as she leaned her head against mine, her lips near my ear as she breathed gently, "It's just that when I saw how squirmy I made you, it got me really happy. So I've been an idiot all day."

Still feeling sour, I grumbled against her shoulder, "No, your dumb."

She laughed and slid her hands to my waist, pulling back slightly just to catch my eyes. I gave her an angry pout, and watched as she gave me an amused smile. Then, scratching my waist softly, she leaned forward and said sincerely, "I agree. I'm dumb. Now do you forgive me?"

It wasn't fair that she was using her hands to keep my mind distracted. I found myself forgetting why I was so upset in the first place, my heart struggling to sputter along as I tried to calm down. Biting my lip, I simply turned away and nodded.

My stomach twisted at her musical laugh.

My heart lurched as I felt her fingers leave my waist, already missing her touch.

I stood there, completely confused with all the overwhelming emotions. It was almost suffocating to process it all. And in the midst of my crash, Tayuya seemed to catch me. She took my hand gently and tugged me along as she backed towards my bed. Shakily I looked up at her, unsure with everything around me. But it was almost impossible to worry with her brown eyes looking at me like that.

And her breath taking smile that had charmed me since day one.

Being around her was like an emotional hurricane. Half the time I choked, drowning by the way her smile slipped across her lips as she gave me such an amused expression. Or by the way her hands felt anywhere on my body, just simple touches and nudges.

But during the storm, I couldn't seem to worry about any of it.

Because while she drowned me mercilessly- she continued to save me faithfully, all the while leading me to believe that she truly did care about me in more ways than I could ever imagine. And sometimes that scared me.

But as I followed her tugging, a playful smile on her lips as she sat down and scooted back to give me room, I understood that she could also make me feel safe- even when I myself felt lost. She was fire and ice, cooling and burning at the touch. I will never be able to have proper footing when it came to her, and I realized this.

What I didn't understand was what it meant. What did that make her to me?

I couldn't answer, I was to busy stumbling at another smile. Obviously I was lying, clearly her smiles were still as effective as they always were. And as I laid next to her, back facing her as I eagerly waited to feel her hands on my skin one more time, I forgot all my worries because it was simple.

She was Tayuya. And I just didn't want her to go anywhere.

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(1) - Don't even ask. I don't know why, but these two songs are what I played back to back. Here's the link! They are on the same playlist, so just press next. (/watch?v=tBfPWwroL84&list=PLM8k2ZmjGmH6MZDAIBKl8WN5EZMg3z2e2)

**Unnnnnffff the effing feels. The EMOTIONAL TURMOIL. Whew, it's ripping ME to shreds and these are just inkling thoughts that are in the back of her mind.**

**Just imagine the dump truck that'll hit her after it all. *Wiggles* I'm secretly evil, did you know?**

**Obviously not if I update so fast. Sorry, I'm giving myself too good of an ego stroking. Lemme tone it down, because no lie I just really like working with this story. Especially since it's a couple I've always been fiddling with. And then there are the amazing fans who give me the time of day!**

***Throws myself onto random unknown strangers* COME HERE. I LOVE YOU. LET ME EFFING LOVE YOU.**

**Shycadet loves. Out.**


	10. The wearing down of Summer Days

**A/N - **The mere mention of stopping for a bit got me more reviews.

You guys are sneaky. I see what you are doing.

ENJOY THE CHAPTER

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

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_Song used for this chapter - _Mikky Ekko - Pull Me Down (Emperor Remix)

As summer slowly started to end, I found myself dreading the new year. I wouldn't admit it to myself, but I knew I was worried.

Worried of me and Tayuya's track record.

Worried about how we used to operate in the past.

School was our demise, it was the reason we hardly spoke to each other. With it creeping closer and closer, I grew more anxious. Would we stop talking? Will we grow distant? And what about at night? Who would stay with me until I fell asleep?

I was slowly crumbling with all these new found worries. I found my thoughts wandering in the middle of conversations, thinking of all the things I would miss about Tayuya the most. I don't know why I felt like it was the end of the world, but I did. And eventually, it started to become too noticeable to ignore.

One summer night, just a couple of days before school started, Tayuya was laying down with me. Her arm was wrapped around my waist with her fingers snaked against mine, as usual. We were watching the same movie as we always did, our conversation falling silent during the same scene build up. Usually during this point we simply didn't talk for the rest of the movie.

But Tayuya's sigh that slipped out and danced across my ear seemed like she was finally giving up. I waited a couple of seconds, wondering what was about to happen. Sometimes she did this, but simply never spoke up. I always figured it was a problem she will eventually tell me later when it had tormented her enough.

But no, she decided to speak up tonight. With the tv silently humming in the back ground, I listened to her voice, "Are you scared of something?"

It was such an awkward question- if I didn't know exactly what she was talking about. Instead I faked it, feeling nervous about the problem I had been fighting with myself. Curling to hide from her whispers, I mumbled, "No, what do you mean?"

I felt her fingers twitch, and with my heart torn, I allowed her to pull away from my grip. Even as she sat up, dragging away the warmth she had so kindly given me for the past hour, I stayed curled while staring at my bed.

"Ino," She called evenly. When I didn't respond I felt her shift around. Seconds later I saw her eyes peaking at mine, only upside down. With a frown I rolled over, but that did nothing except make me face her fully. I went to roll back over, but she stopped me. Holding my shoulder, she gave me this begging look and asked quietly, "Don't lie to me, please?"

My stomach twisted as I curled. Muffled with the bed at my lips, I grumbled, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"And why not?" She asked softly, leaning forward but I only scooted away. With a huff, she sat back up and pressed, "You haven't been very subtle about it, Ino. I've noticed like a month ago, but I've just been hoping you would actually talk to me about it yourself. That's why I'm pressing the issue, I'm done waiting around."

"I dont wanna talk about it!" I said stubbornly, wiggling in frustration, "No no no no."

"I failed to realize how much of a child you were before I started coming over every day," She said as she rolled her eyes, giving me a point of her finger, "It's like you hid it until it was too late. Now stop being stupid, and tell me what is bugging you."

"Nothing," I pouted with another curl.

"Lies," She hissed, leaning forward and wiggling her fingers at my waist. I bit my lip to stop from giggling, wiggling away as I argued, "NO! That's cheating!"

"I'm sorry wuuut?" She taunted, tickling me even more. Eventually I was able to get away, and with a glare I repeated, "That is cheating, you cheater."

She laughed and gave me a small smile, "Alright princess. But come on..."

I twisted my fingers together, nervous again. I fought with myself, but there was no point. By the end of the night I would tell her, all because deep down I wanted to. It was embarrassing, but I wanted her to fix me- to tell me I was ridiculous and stupid and I was thinking too much.

I wanted her to tell me she wouldn't leave.

"Ino..."

Her voice was soft and pulling. Biting my lip, I tried to resist. But her eyes watched mine, and knowingly hurting her was impossible. Against my will I mumbled out my confession while sitting up, "I'm scared."

I avoided her gaze, and thankfully she allowed me to. My eyes wandered across the floor as she asked carefully, "What do you think will happen when school starts?"

It wasn't surprising that she was asking all the right questions. With a shake of my head, I laughed miserably to myself. Of course she knew what I was upset over, she probably knew all along. Giving up completely, I answered, "That we'll end up drifting apart."

"Why are you worried about something so silly," She teased gently, but that didn't ease me. With a sigh, she ran her hand through her hair, "Princess, I'm not going anywhere."

There they were, the words I desperately wanted to hear. But they were too soon, premature, and I couldn't think of another reason why it did no justice hearing them. With a frown I looked away and murmured, "Alright."

"No," She said quickly, growing frustrated with a short huff. Scratching her head, she dropped her hand and fumbled them in front of her as she spoke, "No, it isn't alright. You are still worried. Why? What do you think will happen?"

I turned to her with a miserable look. She paused at my expression, but waited for me to answer all the same. With a sigh, I explained, "That we'll end up not talking, and not seeing each other as much as we do now."

"I get you are worried," Tayuya started carefully, knowing if she didn't speak right I would shut down completely, "But how stupid do you think we are? Do you honestly believe either of us would accept the other disappearing."

"No," I snapped with a glare, hating the way she was failing completely, "I would like to believe that we are smarter now about the friendship we have, but how off the wall is the idea really? In the past, we didn't want to accept it, but we did. We let each other skip around for months at a time before we actually had a decent conversation, only to fake plans and disappear again. It isn't impossible. Actually it's very possible. And sure we are close now, but what's stopping that from falling apart when school starts?"

"Us," She argued fiercely, a frown on her face with sharp brown eyes eyes, "We are stopping that from happening, and if you are so worried about yourself, then I will have enough confidence for both of us- because I refuse to sit here and let you tell me that by some sick sort of twisted events, you have officially lost faith in me."

I looked away, my emotions mixed and confused, but the underlining feeling that was there was anger. I was angry that I seemed to be the only one actually worried, seeing as Tayuya didn't have any doubts at all. I was angry that I was being foolish, losing sleep about things that obviously didn't deserve the attention. But most of all, I was angry that Tayuya wasn't doing anything right.

I didn't feel any better. She wasn't fixing me like I thought she would.

Actually, I wanted to jump off a roof.

With a huff, I shook my head and glared at the wall. Snapping, I replied, "Fine, whatever. Let it go."

"No," Tayuya said firmly, holding my shoulder again when I tried to lay down and roll over. I directed my glare to her, but she only sat there with earnest eyes. My one sided anger wasn't enough, I found myself sighing and simply laying there while she stopped me. As I did, she stumbled softly, "I'm sorry. Ok? I'm sorry for anything that I have done recently to seriously make you question-"

"It isn't you," I groaned, this time shrugging off her hand and curling into my blanket for refuge, wanting nothing more than to abort this mission, "You haven't done anything. It's me. It's me thinking about the past and how we used to operate. I just don't want to fall back to that."

"But we won't," I heard her carefully say from the other side of the blanket I was hiding under. Seconds without me responding caused her to shift, and moments later I felt a tug. Soon enough, there was light invading my darkness, and there were brown eyes peaking at me, "Because Ino, I can make promises, and I can keep them. Tell me everything you are scared of changing, and I'll tell you everything I'll do to make sure it stays the same."

A small smile tugged at my lips and I couldn't help it. Just like that, I was starting to feel a bit better. Still, I curled into my blanket and shut my eyes as I mumbled meekly, "I think you'll stop coming over every day."

There was a moment of silence, but then I felt her shifting again. She decided to lay down, and with silent squirm, I felt her hand slide over my blanket covered waist as she wiggled closer. With a relaxed sigh as she finally got comfortable, she whispered sweetly, "Then I promise, everyday, I will check on you. I'll come over your house, say hello to the folks, and then see how you are doing. And that's just the bare minimum. I still think I'll be here every day just like I am now. Stealing cookies and watching movies."

Even though she was talking casually, I was extremely nervous. Unofficially, I was cuddling with her while facing her, which never happens. The blanket, of course, kind of covered me from actually being able to see her. But it hardly stopped the way her legs pressed against mine, or the way her chest was inches away from me with her hand carefully placed on my waist. And against my will, I found myself pressing against her shoulder, curling as I stayed under my blanket.

Taking a breath, I said softly into her blanket protected skin with my eyes closed, "And at night… I still want to fall asleep with you."

My heart pounded, but for all sorts of reason. I liked being against her while facing her, it brought new twistings in my stomach; The way she kept shifting closer was making me nervous; Then there was the fact that I just frankly admitted that I wanted to continue sleeping with her during the school year.

So to hide from the feelings, I stayed under my blanket. It was safe here. I could almost pretend I was dreaming.

"Mmm," She hummed carefully, and I felt her nuzzle against me as she tried to find my ear. With a smile, I wiggled away, and with a soft laugh she continued, "It might not be every night princess, I can't promise that. What I can promise is, for the nights that I can't, I'll still be here."

I didn't get what she meant, but it hardly mattered. As always, I found myself suddenly not worrying about anything anymore. Instead I just leaned more into her, closing my eyes because I was already sleepy. Eventually she tugged the blanket off of my face, but didn't bother trying to crawl in. She let me have my warm cocoon, all the while holding me and watching the rest of the movie as I simply drifted off to sleep.

And that is how that night went, not very impressive right? Well if mom was here when I woke up in the morning, she would taunt that Tayuya definitely was more impressive than she led us all to believe. Sitting next to me was this cute little fuzzy animal. It was red, had wide brown eyes, and this long make believe tale.

Of course there was a note. Of course this idiot had managed to completely drown my worries with her ability to make me smile.

_I figured this would remind you of me the most._

_Every night I'm not here, you can cuddle with him while on the phone with me._

_It's simple Ino, I just don't plan on acting like the idiot I did for the last three years of high school. So I'm sorry for not understanding, but I will be keeping all my promises._

_See you tonight. -T_

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*Edit. Fixed a minor issue

(1) - /watch?v=XdSpPAKExBs&list=PLM8k2ZmjGmH6MZDAIBKl8WN5EZMg3z2e2&index=66 (For your enjoyment.)

**There you go. I have to jet out of here. No not because I have a glamorous life and plan on going out on a friday night. It's because I had to kick my brother off the computer real quick to post this. I usually steal it for the night, so I let him have it all day.**

**Yeah. Yeah I'm a super big sister. SO WUT.**

**COME AT ME**

**DO IT.**

**COME AT ME BRO.**

**I love all of you. Shout out to the constant reviews. I notice your names, and if you had accounts I should have replied to some. If not. JUST KNOW.**

**You. Are. Next.**

**Shycadet loves. Out.**


	11. Lullabies

**A/N - **To Sues, the fan who has officially posted the first cliffhanger review.

To the guest who review'd and commented that in the four days he was gone, he only had two chapters to read. And then demanded I start kicking my brother off the computer.

And lastly, to that fan who screamed that it had been an hour, and ordered that I write them a mind boogling chapter.

Honestly, you guys amuse me. I freaking love you all. So heres a much deserved chapter for your needy faces.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Yuna - Lullabies (Adventure Club Remix)_

No matter how surreal she seemed, Tayuya always had this mission to prove that she was real. She came to my house almost everyday, sometimes she couldn't for things out of her control, but it never bothered me. Because I knew the next day, she would be here.

And I knew the next, she would be here as well.

I never imagined counting on her so much, but in a stumbling sort of way it happened. In the summer, my days revolved on Tayuya popping over to my room. During the school year, I couldn't help but revolve my days around her all over again. My mood depended if I was able to see her in the hall ways, sneaking glances at her teasing smile. I was happy if I somehow caught her at lunch, because even though I checked her get away spot everyday, she only seemed to be there the third of the time.

Honestly, there was nothing to worry about. I don't know what I expected from her, but she seemed to be proving me wrong. I guess she meant it.; she honestly didn't want to fall back into the idiocy that flooded the first three years of high school. And I was happy, because I didn't want to fall back there either.

So the nights she was able, she was in my bed, holding me deep within the night. She would whisper me stories, doing anything to get me to drift off so she could go home and sleep herself. I always felt selfish, but I couldn't bring myself to make her stop. I enjoyed her warmth, the way her voice would sound against my ear at night.

Tayuya was vital, and I was starting to realize that more and more.

Tonight was a night that she couldn't make it to my room. She murmured her apologies to me sincerely while whispering about how she couldn't escape her plans.

But I couldn't help whining anyway.

"Are you sure you can't make it?" I asked for the third time, rolling over in my bed and dragging Pauly-D to me. He was the red stuffed animal Tayuya gave me, and I couldn't find another good name for him. But honestly it suited him, he looked like he was up for any party.

"No princess, not tonight," I listened to Tayuya sigh out over the phone. With a pout, I snuggled into Pauly and continued to listen, "Kiba really wanted to smoke tonight. He started to complain that I've been blowing him off."

"Have you?" I asked meekly, fidgeting with Pauly's paw, "I really haven't been taking you away that much, have I?"

"Uh," She coughed out a laugh, her voice nervous as she stumbled, "No. But he requires a lot of attention too. So sometimes I just need to show him some love."

"Maybe you should stop staying at my house at night," I mumbled sadly, the thought already ripping me to shreds. But I didn't want to be that girl who got in the way of a friendship; and Tayuya spoke of Kiba so often, it was obvious they were close. Maybe I truthfully was pulling them apart.

"Cut it out, Ino," Tayuya breathed tiredly, interrupting my troubling thoughts, "Of course that doesn't need to happen. Plus, I wouldn't want it to stop."

"Why?" I asked softly, desperate for attention. Biting my lip, I curled into Pauly as I heard her laugh. She let out a small sigh before giving into my needy demands, "You know I like being there with you, princess. I don't why this comes as a surprise."

"Well," I pouted, picking at Pauly's fur, "Sometimes I really question."

"Yeah right," She joked, and I could almost see her eyes rolling, "You just like hearing me repeat it."

"Maybe," I breathed my confession, moving to pick at my bed sheets. After a moment of silence, I sighed again and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Sitting here," Tayuya answered conversationally, and I heard her shifting as she added, "Waiting for this bitch to roll up, but he's going so effing slow."

"You know," I mumbled while looking at Pauly. With a stern look at him, I continued as if I was talking to Tayuya, "Smoking is bad, you shouldn't do it."

"It's no different from drinking," She argued as I rolled my eyes. As if she saw it, she sighed and pressed, "I just enjoy smoking way more than I do drinking."

"But on a school night?" I grumbled out with a huff, "Honestly, couldn't you wait till the weekend?"

"Again, not my idea," Tayuya defended, but I believed none of it. I heard some more shuffling, and second later she was laughing and joking to Kiba, "Dude, just light it up. Why the hell are you paranoid."

"What if someone rolls by?" I heard a gruff voice reply with worry.

"They won't," She replied with another laugh, "Stop being a dork, just light the shit up so we can get out of here."

"So you can get back to Ino?" He grumbled out, and with a blush I listened to Tayuya let out an embarrassed sort of cough. After a moment, she stumbled out, "No asshole, it's a fucking Tuesday. Why the hell are we smoking in the first place?"

"You know why," He snapped, but his voice became harder and harder to make out. With a shift, I mumbled, "He totally hates me."

"Nah he doesn't," Tayuya reassured, and I could almost hear her smile, "He is just grumpy because I keep teasing him when you're around."

"Should I leave?" I sniffed sadly.

A small smile slipped my lips as I listened to her groan. After another couple frustrated noises, she argued, "Don't pretend you don't already know the answer. You've been doing this all night."

"Maybe I don't," I whispered out teasingly, trying to hold back my giggles, "Maybe I really think I should go."

"Either way princess, you just want me to say it," Her tone was joking, but I couldn't help the small burn at my cheeks when I couldn't convince myself she was wrong, "No I don't want you to leave. Just stay on the phone with me. Please?"

My stomach twisted as I curled into my blanket. It was ridiculous how much she could mess with the butterflies in my stomach when they didn't even exist. When I nervously stumbled out noises, she laughed. In a soft teasing voice, she joked, "It's almost like you didn't expect me to do it."

"No," I defended with a clear of my throat. She snorted her doubt, but I ignored her, "So are you guys smoking now?"

"Yeah," She answered, stopping to mumble something at Kiba before turning her attention back to me, "Now he wants to rush because he realizes it's a school night."

"I have a fucking english test in the morning," I heard Kiba complain loudly in the back ground, "Why the hell are we smoking on a Tuesday night?"

Laughing at the way Tayuya gurgled out frustration, I commented, "He's just like you."

"You have no idea," Tayuya replied with a small laugh, "Since we are in a hurry now, I could possibly swing by."

"No," I rushed, though my heart squeezed at the idea, "Just go straight home. I can handle one night."

"Aw come on," She shifted, her voice whispering into my ear. I fidgeted with my fingers as I listened to her mumble, "I want to come over. Don't leave me standing outside your window."

"Just go home Tayuya," I breathed, closing my eyes to steady myself. She was slowly drowning me again with the way she could make my stomach flip, "It's ok, really."

"Well fine," She gave in, making me feel so much worse- despite the fact that I should feel happy for being able to get her to bed earlier, "Then I'll go straight home, if that's what you want."

"Yeah," I mumbled miserably, "Good. Thank you."

"Yeah whatever," She huffed, and I can imagine her giving me this look, "Anyway, I'll text you when I get home from Kiba's. Turn your ringer on low just in case you fall asleep."

"Yeah no," I snorted at her humorous idea, "I'm putting it on loud so I can make sure I hear it."

"You need sleep too, woman," Tayuya argued.

"Nope," I replied simply, "Now hurry up and get home, I'll talk to you later."

"Good night gorgeous. Sweet dreams."

"Good night," I stumbled before quickly hanging up the phone.

With a sigh, I rolled over. PaulyD was laying next to me, his brown eyes watching me knowingly. With a blush, I explained, "It's just that I keep her up so much… I figured if I could do it this one night then…." I fell silent, because it didn't matter what I said, no matter what I would be lying.

Seconds after hanging up the phone, and I was already feeling like I wanted to call her back and tell her to come see me before she went to bed. I couldn't possibly hold onto this resolution, forcing myself into a lifestyle I know I'll hate. I wanted her all the time, and I couldn't stop myself from wanting it. Even though I knew she needed sleep, even though I knew we both had school in the morning, I found myself taking every bit of her she would offer to me. I was so selfish about it also, so addicted. I began not caring, as long as I got to have her at night it didn't matter.

Because her warmth was practically my solid ground.

And the way her arms wrapped around me as she whispered the stories I begged for in my ear. Her voice soft, her murmurs humming throughout the night. How could I have not grown attached to it all? How could I fight away something I began surviving off of.

I grumbled and pouted at PaulyD. He was watching me again, knowing exactly what I had just been thinking about. Sneering at him, I snatched him and pulled him close to my chest. Then with a muffled mumble on top of his head, I admitted, "Ok, so maybe this was a real bad idea."

Casually, I attempted to peak at Pauly's face, but again he caught me. Huffing out my sadness, I shifted and slid out of bed. I couldn't stop myself, I was far too tempted with the possibility of there being a loophole in this increasingly depressing night. So, tip toeing across my room, I went to my window and unlocked it. I took it a step further, and slid it open slightly, enough for everyone to notice it's open if they were looking hard enough.

Of course, even bluntly doing it wasn't enough to convince me that it was just because I wanted Tayuya to POSSIBLY see. It was because I was cold, and it was a bit stuffy in my room.

PaulyD knew all my secrets though, I could see it by the way his wide brown eyes stared into my very soul. Looking down at his dopey expression I grinned, and after tackling him, I rolled around and hugged him close.

"Maybe she'll come, Pauly," I whispered with a small giggle because I always seemed to humor myself the most. Squeezing the stuffed animal in my arms again, I yawned sleepily, "Maybe she's as charming as mom says…"

X

Deep within the night, during the very depths of my dreams, I felt the dip of someone climbing into my bed. She cursed silently as she practically jumped over me to be against the wall. Sleepy, I rolled over to face her. My eyes blinked slowly as I murmured sleepily, "YoyaBear is here."

"Oh god," she whispered out in horror as she got comfortable, "Is that my new nick name? I sure hope not."

"Come here," I mumbled angrily, sleep slurring my words as I wiggled towards her, "What took you so long."

"So you knew I was coming," She asked softly, wrapping an arm securely around me as she allowed me to press against her side. With my head resting at her chest, she pulled me closer and joked, "But I thought you wanted me to go straight home."

"We both know why I said it," I confessed with my lips moving against her shirt covered skin.

Tayuya's chest rumbled as she let out a soft laugh. With a sigh, she scratched my waist, and after a moment, leaned forward and tried to wiggle closer to my ear. I curled, but didn't pull away. Heart pounding, even so late at night, I allowed her lips against my ear. And with a shiver, I listened as she whispered teasingly, "One of these days you'll believe me when I tell you I want to be around you forever. No sleep and all…"

I bit my lip and curled closer, my legs slowly slipping between hers. Heart stuttering, I kept my eyes closed and whispered as I slowly started to drift, "What if you decide you don't want to anymore."

She only laughed. It was soft and musical, and it lulled me back to sleep. And as the dreams came back for me, before I fell into their sweet calling arms, Tayuya admitted quietly.

"That's impossible, Ino… Don't you know why?"

The question taunted me, but I couldn't answer. I was too sleepy, too tired and comfortable in her arms to jog myself back up. I wanted to, but couldn't.

But in the back of my mind, just before I completely fell into darkness, I whispered to myself.

_I think I _do_ know why it's impossible…_

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(1) - watch?v=EsGiBwK4Ycc (Because you guys don't stop me from posting music in your faces)

**Hey, sorry about this weekend. I totally had so much promise to poop out chapters and I just knew you guys would love me for it. But then I was surprised with beer. And then more beer. And then I just lost the whole weekend. So I'm sorry.**

**Here is chapter 11. Tell me what you think. The romance is coming my little ones. It is coming. ****It is almost time to feast on the feels. Read review, tell me what you think.**

**Someone commented why I put this as InoXSakura if it's a TayxIno mix. Well my good ma'am/gentleman, it was the only thing I could think of doing that will draw peoples eyes to this story ****Like seriously, who has EVER changed your otp? SO I figured I would lie to your face ****Then apologize for it later ****After writing you chapters upon chapters of solid material that I would hope you enjoyed.**

**See. Its like.**

**"Yo I just hit the nuke button."**

**"But dude, I brought pizza, so..."**

**Shycadet loves. Out.**


	12. E-Wing

**A/N - **Oh boy oh boy, aren't you guys going to be happy.

Congratulation kids, we are taking steps!

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

The most curious part of Tayuya and me was that despite us being so close, no one else knew about it. It made us seem like a secret, like we were cleverly disguising ourselves when it came to school, but falling back into how we knew things really were behind closed doors in my room. I didn't mind it, but it was funny when I thought about it.

Here I was, walking about with kids all around me that were gossiping, gushing, and chattering away like we were the best of friends; but my true best friend was across the room, sitting with her skating crew laughing away.

And again I would sneak a glance at her.

And again she will catch me and sneak a smile.

But no one saw it, no one knew...

The question was: How do you break out of a cycle that has worked so well so far? Summer tripped into late fall(2), it was getting cooler out. The seasons were shifting, and they didn't seem to care about Tayuya and me. It baffled me that something I found so important meant nothing to the rest of the world, and you can only imagine the thoughts that swirled in my head.

Was Tayuya and I truly that special in the first place, were we best friends? Outside looking in, we do hang out a lot- but inside looking out, I could only spot difference when it came to us and other best friends; You saw them together all the time during school; everyone knew they were inseparable. So... What about us? If the definition of best friend was being beside someone all day-everyday in the midst of public, then what was Tayuya?

Again I fell into thinking we were just a secret.

But again I floated into not caring as long as she was in my bed at night.

And as my thoughts teased me, taunting me secretly as Tayuya continued to laugh, smile, and grin, I had a twinge of wanting more. It was weird that I wanted people to know we were actually good friends. What was it about her that made me want to claim that I found her first.

That she was my golden treasure.

My very own secret get away personified into a living being.

I'm not sure, but the glances were getting more and more frequent. Soon, I was practically staring at Tayuya while pretending to pay attention to the actual conversation around me. It seemed I had a talent for pretending I cared, because my friends never noticed. Unfortunately, during lunch, Tayuya was hard to find. I never asked her where she skipped around to, because I never felt the real need. She would be at my house in the afternoon anyway, so why bother taking away the few moments she was actually able to get away from me?

"Mhmm," I hummed with my palm holding up my chin, my eyes wandering across the cafeteria.

"And then there is this one guy who is absolutely great, but he smokes a lot so that's a HUGE turn off," Tenten continued to chatter happily as she ate her fries, not even bothering to pull my attention back to her, "Like it's senior year, grow up."

"Well," I started with a sigh, dropping my arm to the table as I gave Tenten a half smile, "I don't like smoking either, but some people like it more than beer so who are we to judge?"

"I guess," Tenten huffed out sadly, "But people who smoke usually end up spending all they have on it."

"That's a stereotype," I told her with a roll of my eyes, "Not everyone does that- I even know a few who don't."

"Who?"

"None of your business," I replied quickly with a huge smile, "Just know that I'm totally right and you are a stereotyping bitch." (3)

"Oh whatever," Tenten sneered as I laughed. Leaning forward, my boredom sparked some interest in what she had said a couple of moments ago. With a sly little smile, I teased, "So who is this guy? The one who smokes?"

"No one," Tenten replied airily, but her cheeks grew red as she attempt to speak nonchalantly, "Just another interested boy that I can add to my list."

"Oh god," I laughed while leaning back into my seat, "You make us seem like such assholes."

"We totally are," She laughed along with charming little beam at me, "I mean, that's what popularity is about."

"So terrible," I said as my laughter bubbled into smaller giggles then disappearing completely. Tenten took her time eating as I continued to look around the room. I don't know why I was searching if I knew she wasn't here. She was never here, and even though seniors ate together every year, Tayuya always seemed to hide from the world when she wanted to. The oddest part about it was that I saw her skating crew sitting and eating lunch in a corner across the room.

I bit my lip as I watched one of the boys laughing, nudging another guy beside him. I wondered if they knew where she was.

"What are you looking at?" Asked my friend Naruto as he sat down right next to me, trying to charm me with his good natured smile, but I wasn't falling for it, "Not checking someone else out, are you?" I rolled my eyes and waited for his pathetic line, "Because I mean, your prince charming is right here."

"How did I know that was coming?" I asked sarcastically, giving Tenten a look, she giggled as the rest of my friends sat down one by one. I guessed they were standing in line together, but I hoped they all conveniently didn't show up for lunch.

When they aren't here, it was so much easier to sneak off.

Just as I was sliding out of my seat, my other friend caught my eye. Giving me this knowing smirk, I only stuck my tongue out and tiptoed off. None of them seemed to notice besides her, they were too busy enjoying their lives of being popular.

I, on the other hand, wanted to enjoy life in a different manner.

Even though Tayuya was the main reason, I liked to pretend to myself that I snuck off on my own for other reasons too. I was simply dark, mysterious, and enjoyed the potential solitude. I didn't disappear at lunch a quarter of the way through just because there was a certain red head girl I always hoped to bump into.

How pathetic would that be?

"Pretty pathetic," I sighed as I stepped into the hall, scrunching my nose to amuse myself as I attempted to guess which way I should go. Allowing my body to do the moving without my brain thinking too much, I twirled on one foot and randomly walked towards the right.

It was hard to get purposely lost while KNOWINGLY understanding exactly where you were. I wandered towards the first floor E wing, which was where all the science classes were kept. My eyes roamed against the doors and walls, smiling at the work the teacher's lamely put up that their students did. I ran through so many names, and it amazed me how I knew none of them- but I was supposedly popular?

It was awkward, knowing that there were so many people I have yet to meet. The thought made the world feel just a bit bigger, and that small shift made the hallways feel colder. Despite the chill, I couldn't help but stop and stare in a small bit of wonder. There were hundreds of students I've never really talked to, but yet here they were attending school just like me.

With a bite of my lip, I promised to be friendlier to the people around me. I think the world deserved it of me to participate, to show my love and attention. What if there was someone out there who needed it, if only for a fracture of a second. What if my smile gave someone a little bit more to hope for, gave them just another day before they wore out.

I swam in so many thoughts, and I wasn't sure why. I drifted in my mind and paused within the depths of those halls. It was almost like I was captured in some glass, spelled by the terror and beauty of it all.

But as quickly as the silence came, someone's voice slithered right into the front of my thoughts.

"Um," They said unsurely, pausing for a moment before stumbling in a breathless sort of way, "I know this will sound weird, but did you see a baby duck waddling past here?"

My eyebrows came together in confusion as I suddenly regained the ability to breathe from my suffocating thoughts. Turning around, my head tilted slightly as I watched a girl jog towards me. My first thought was what an interesting color her hair was.

My second was how incredibly green her eyes were.

With a smile automatically brightening my features in a friendly way, I asked with an amused tone, "I'm sorry, but what?"

Some of her pink hair slipped down her forehead as she gave me a tired smile, "Yeah you heard right. A baby duck."

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(1) watch?v=2XG_0iV2B40&list=PLM8k2ZmjGmH6MZDAIBKl8WN5EZMg3z2e2 (Here is a good song. Didn't write to it though)

(2) You can't take my clever puns away from me. I live for these pleasant surprises. I never realize it till after I write it.

(3) LOL. I die every time I read this.

**Review EXACTLY what you thought during the end of this chapter. Because I would LOVE to believe I trolled you guys hard enough to get some entertainment out of this. ****Now this, kiddies, is what it looks like when Shy PURPOSELY leaves a cliffhanger. Thiisssss is what it looks like when I try hard. ****Like unnffffff If I didn't love you so hard, I wouldn't like teasing you so hard.**

**Remember that.**

**Now to take my lovely time (like a week) of updating.**

**Shy loves you hard core, out.**


	13. Ethan

**A/N - **But you guys, who DIDN'T see this coming?

Come on... I'm so predictable.

Enjoy.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

"Baby duck?" I repeated, dragging my eyes away from the worried girl and looking around. Turning back, I gave her an apologetic look, "Sorry, no, but then again I wasn't really paying attention."

"Gah," she huffed in frustration with a deep frown as she looked from left to right, "God that guy is nothing but trouble."

"The duck?" A small laugh slipped my lips as I asked before I could catch it. It was quiet, and I hoped she wouldn't notice, but somehow she did. Her crisp green eyes turned back to mine, and almost glowing, she gave a quick smile.

"You don't know the nature of this duck," she explained while using her hands, "Ethan is a duck of exploring, he's the lil' man who wants to see the world."

I couldn't help but find all this amusing. Though I tried to hide my smile, it came out anyway. It slipped up my lips as I bubbled out a small laugh. She gave me another smile before standing up correctly and rubbing her neck. With a laugh of her own, she said politely, "Sorry about this."

"No it's ok," I replied back, smiling openly now, "Ethan sounds incredibly cute, I hope you find him."

"Well honestly, if it isn't too much to ask, would you mind helping me?" She asked with an apologetic smile, "The kids for lunch are about to let out, I'd hate for him to get squished."

"Oh god," I gasped frantically, "Seriously?"

"Whoa _wait_," she put up her hands to ease me, but her voice was turning nervous, "I was just kidding, but you don't think something like that can happen, right? I mean, people will see a cute baby duck running around, right?"

"Oh no," I yelped out while quickly storming down the hall, "Oh god, we have to find him."

"Shit," the girl cursed as she jogged after me, "Well shit, shit, _shit_. We can't have this happen. I can't handle Ethan dying."

"Why weren't you more careful with him?!" I chastised while looking down on the floor and under the small dip in the lockers.

"Well hold on, you can't put me on trial yet," she answered as she looked around as well, even kicking open some half open lockers, "You don't know this guy. He has a wild feel to him, a crazed look in his eyes. He's a stone cold adventurer."

"How can you joke at a time like this?" I snapped, but I couldn't escape the laugh tickling my throat. I smiled and coughed to hide it, but the girl noticed. Giving me a smile, she laughed nervously while admitting, "Sorry, I get like this when I'm anxious."

"Because of Ethan," I quickly finished, jumping back to finding a cute little ball of yellow fuzz. That's what I was looking out for, but I didn't think it could be truly what the duck looked like. I bit my lip as I poked my head into a class room. The class was filled with what looked like 9th graders. Some of them noticed me and turned to watch me curiously. I only wiggled my fingers with a smile before slipping back out.

"Not in there?" the duck girl asked as I tiptoed back into the hall.

"No," I answered while quickly following her, "Are you sure he went this way?"

"Well he likes making left turns, believe it or not," she replied, laughing when I gave her a weird look, "Yeah I know, but trust me. He's done this before, and every time I find him I make lefts. Surprisingly enough, in this school there is no huge circle. You end up walking into dead ends."

"You're right," I mumbled as I began to realize that myself. Turning my head left, I was just about to ask if she had checked this hall yet. To my surprise, there was a baby duck looking at me with wide curious eyes. His beak was pink with specks of black, and with a small tilt to his head, he opened his small wings and almost jumped to get a closer look at me. He looked nothing like I expected. He was a light fluffy gray that made his yellow eyes seem as glowing as the girl's green ones.

"Oh!" I said in surprise, taking a step back.

Seconds later the duck was being scooped up, cradled in the mysterious girl's hand.

"What the heck, Ethan," the girl breathed out her stress while holding him eye level, "What have we said about running away? Do you know you almost got squashed today having your little adventures? I can't take this, I'm going to have to ground you." I watched as she had her interaction, smiling and giving out a small laugh. When green eyes locked on mine, I bit my lip and noticed her smile tugging easily, "Sorry, if I don't talk to him sternly, he'll end up doing it all over again even quicker."

"So this happens often?" I asked, amused.

"Oh yes, he's infamous. People know the baby duck Ethan. I think we had him put on the back of a milk carton one day," the way she said it made me really question if she was joking or not. Either way I laughed, I couldn't help it; whoever she was, she just naturally tickled my amusement.

My laugh seemed to lighten her spirit. She lowered Ethan to her chest carefully as she laughed herself, then with a small smile, she added, "Thanks for helping me. It looked like he was heading back too, so maybe I didn't have to drag you into this."

"No it's alright," I replied with my hands going behind my back, my fingers fidgeting with each other as I looked down at the sweet little duck. He had such a dopey expression, and I could see the curious way his eyes glinted as he looked all around. With a laugh, I commented, "He honestly does look like an explorer."

"Right?" she replied with a small laugh of her own, "I just knew it, ever since he hatched, he was going to be absolute trouble."

"Why do you have a baby duck?" I asked bluntly, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"Biology stuff, it's complicated," she huffed with a scratch of her head. For the first time I noticed what she was wearing. Her Batman hoodie was black as night with the bat symbol right in the middle of her chest. Her hair was put up into a messy ponytail as it fell at her shoulders and strings slipped down her forehead. There was a pencil fashionably sticking from her ear, and earbuds hanging from her neck.

In the midst of me realizing how pretty she was despite the nerdish look to her, she shifted and placed Ethan in her hoodie pocket carefully. I was worried at first, but the duck only stuck out his head on one end, blinking and looking around before disappearing and appearing at the other.

"Oh god," I groaned as I bent down, giving him a friendly smile, "He's just too cute."

"Tell the nice lady she's pretty cute herself," the girl whispered to her pocket. I blushed, the compliment catching me off guard. Her eyes slid up to mine with another easy smile as she added, "And her eyes. Tell her about her eyes."

"Are you giving your duck pointers on how to score with the ladies?" I joked while wiggling my fingers at the cute little animal that was attempting to hit on me.

"Yes," she breathed out her confession, "This guy just needs all the help he can get."

I laughed again and rolled my eyes. With a smile still on my face, I held out my hand and informed politely, "I'm Ino Yamanaka."

"Sakura Haruno," her hands gripped mine carefully, her fingers cool and soft as she politely introduced herself. She pulled back first and then poked Ethan's head, causing the duck to wiggle to the other end and give a small quack, "Right, we should probably head out. This guy needs to get back into his home."

"Does he live at the school?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah," she nodded with a smile, "Well most of the time. Sometimes he goes home with me, if I have permission."

"Oh god," I gushed with a small whine, "That's so adorable. How lucky are you?"

"Yeaaah," Sakura rubbed the back of her neck as she chuckled, "Being the top Science Academy student for four years running, I get away with a little nonsense like this."

"You're a senior?" I don't know why I was creating conversation when she just said she had to go, but her easy smile made wonder if I had met her before.

"Sorta," she shrugged, "I'm graduating early. My last day is technically the day of Christmas break, and right now I'm already going back and forth to the state college. I know. Nerd 101."

I gave her a smile, "Nothing wrong with playing your cards right."

"That's the spirit I don't get often," she joked, "Usually I am asked all these sort of questions, or screamed at for leaving my friends in the dust."

"Oh really?" I teased.

"Okay so I don't have friends– jeez stop staring into my soul." I laughed as she took her bangs and brushed them behind her ear.

"I'm not doing anything," I pointed out in amusement.

"You're so pretty, I find myself gushing," she explained conversationally while taking a step back. I blinked, and seconds later a blush danced on my cheeks again. But I didn't have time to do any embarrassing stumbling noises. Instead, I ended up laughing as Sakura continued, "My favorite color is green, I was totally late in being potty trained, I would love to think my spirit animal is something epic like a wolf, but honestly it's probably Ethan."(2)

I don't know why I found her so absolutely funny, but I did. Her smile was small, as if she was glad that I was actually laughing at what she was saying, and not thinking she was just another nerd. She rubbed the back of her neck while continuing to step back slowly, "So... maybe I will see you around?"

"Maybe," I nodded, allowing her to slowly leave.

"Yeah," Sakura continued, quickly offering, "Just... if you are ever down in this area, find yourself completely bored, want to just come into the science room to hang out, that would be–"

There was a small quack in the middle of her sentence. At the sound, my heart leaped and I couldn't help but beam at the little gray baby duck that was looking over at me. Bending down, I wiggled my fingers at him. As I did, Sakura huffed, "Ethan, bro, stop getting in the way of me talking to such a cute girl."

I blinked, and again my blush was lagged and came late. My eyes ran to hers, and when she caught mine she gave me a nervous smile.

"Kidding," she added quickly, stumbling out another laugh while moving her hands as she spoke, "Totally kidding– well wait. No, you are completely cute, it's just that–" She stopped herself mid breath, and it was probably because of the smile I was giving her. I just couldn't help but find the trips in her sentence completely adorable. As if realizing that I was amused over her behavior, she gave out a huff and pointed behind her, "I'm just going to… walk away… now…"

As she said those words, she took steps backwards. Her eyes never left mine, and her smile was practically constant, but when I did nothing but wave happily, she twirled around and walked off.

"Dumb," I heard her mumbling as she turned to walk down a different hall, "So dumb. Come _on_ Sakura, get your face together."

And with that she disappeared.

But the smile she caused me to slip on my lips stayed there even after I turned and walked back to lunch slowly.

X

No matter how interesting Sakura was, I found her slipping to the back of my mind. School went by quickly, it usually did after lunch, and I was already grabbing my things and heading towards the buses. The crowd was thick, as it always was, but it didn't bother me. Honestly I just wanted to get home, because my mind was wandering back to Tayuya. I had officially not seen her all day today, and I started to wonder where she could be.

As if she heard my thoughts, I felt her grip on my wrist. I'm not sure how I knew it was her, but I did. Turning around, I couldn't hide the smile that was already at my lips.

"Hey," Tayuya said breathlessly with a small huff, "Shit girl, you walk fast."

I blinked, "Were you trying to catch me?"

"I've been standing around by the buses," she explained with another huge breath before standing up correctly and pushing back her bangs under her beanie, "Trying to get you before you got on. I literally ran over three underclassmen; now they are going to think all seniors are assholes."

I laughed and rolled my eyes before pressing, "Well, what is it?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to a movie with me and a couple other friends," she explained with a small smile, "Kiba will be there too. It's Dollar Movie Night at the old place down the street from us."

"Oh," I said in surprise, thinking quickly if I did want to tag along or not. If Tayuya would be there, I obviously wanted to say yes, but then there was the fact of meeting all her friends and that made me nervous. As if reading my mind, she gave me a smooth smile and added, "Don't worry, they'll love you. Plus we are just going to be smoking before watching, so we'll either be dead quiet or cracking the hell up."

I frowned, "Seriously, you want me to go to a smoking event?"

"_No_," she quickly stopped me with a shake of her head, "Fuck no, I don't want you near the stuff. We are going to smoke right now before we all head home and then meet at the theater at five. They might be smoking right before as well, but I'll stay with you in the theater while they do that.

"Well," I fidgeted, still thinking and fighting with myself, "How are you getting there?"

"I'm riding my board," she shrugged, her skateboard already at her hip, "But I figured it's only a ten minute walk. I could swing by and we could walk there together."

I smiled slightly, "Well, will you let me ride your board some?"

She grinned, "Of course. And I bet you'd look hot with a board under your feet." I blushed but with a sudden thought, she cursed and added, "The guys are going to be all over you. Shit, I'm going to have to knock them around to keep them away."

"Why?" I asked, taking my opportunity to tease her for once, "Want me to yourself?"

"Yes," she replied simply, then with a knowing little smirk as I looked away and attempted not to make stumbling noises, she continued, "But that isn't the point. I just don't trust them, not with you. Honestly, don't date any of them."

"Like I was thinking about it," I sneered with roll of my eyes, "I'm totally not like that."

"Junior year, I beg to differ," she teased, and before I could punch her for being an asshole, she jumped away and laughed, "Don't be upset, that's all in the past. So I will see you around four?"

"Yeah," I answered while turning away, "Don't be late or you might miss out on our very first date."

When I turned to see her reaction, I saw the way her smile tugged with this look as she watched me go. She didn't make a comment about what I said, I think because she already knew I was slowly getting embarrassed about it. Rushing out, I clarified, "Just kidding."

"Yeah right," Tayuya rolled her brown eyes with a laugh and a knowing grin, "Just make sure you're ready Princess, you look like the type of girl to take awhile.

She was totally right, but I wasn't going to admit it.

* * *

(1) watch?v=NI2IzZxVaFU (Happy song to cheer you guys up.)

(2) That last sentence of spirit animal. I shit you not I reread that sentence and laugh everytime. I'm hilarious. To myself of course.

**Don't even bother lying to my face yo. I already KNOW you guys KINDA enjoy Sakura's appearance. I mean come on. She's pretty epic already right?**

**Sorry to say that I will most likely be gone with no updates till Sunday. I will try to update ONCE MORE, whether it be late tonight or early tmrw morning. I honestly want to give you guys some solid material to gnaw on while i'm gone. Wanna keep you around though. **

**Btw, not another cliffhanger. I don't plan on explaining how the hanging out went but in a couple of paragraphs in the NEXT chapter. Just so you guys don't think I'm trolling on purpose again ;]**

**Right everyone, happy fourth if I don't get to get my next update out before tmrw at 3. That's when we leave. I also have to pack so honestly IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN, but you know shy.**

**Shy does impossible things. Out. **


	14. Tinkering thoughts

**A/N - **I had a lot of writers block with this one. From the moment I left for vacation, till the moment I posted this chapter, it was a struggle. I didn't know how to present to you, how to punch you in the face with feels. I'm sorry if it's lacking, but honestly I tried.

In turn, it ended up being a tad bit long, so maybe that's a good thing for those who has been on the edge of their seat. To the fan who read and reviewed this whole story twice, just because you ached for some TayuyaXIno action. This is for you.

And of course, for those who continue to support me, here you go.

I love you guys.

*Edited by the lovely Konetsu. Hearts!

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto. **

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - _Electus - Who We Are

"Tayuya is at the door sweetie," my mother knocked softly as she taunted at the other end, "She said something about the movies?"

My stomach twisted as I blushed furiously, cringing at the way she laughed. Stumbling, I called back "Me and her friends decided to go to dollar movie night."

"Oh my," she sang along, her footsteps getting distant as she continued to torment me, "How cute. A date with her friends!"

"Oh my god," I groaned softly to myself, taking a breath as I looked around nervously to try to kill time. My stomach continued to tumble as I searched for my phone and wallet. I could already feel that this nerve wrecking night was going to be stretched into eternity.

A night with Tayuya and her friends? What was I thinking?

Snatching my wallet, I darted out of my room and hurried to the stairs. I didn't want to stick around to figure out the answer. When it came to Tayuya, nothing was simple. Her very presence was complicated with the mixture of butterflies and confusion. Why did she always have to smile in such a knowing way, like she could see exactly what she was doing to me? Tugging me along...

Smiling in amusement as I lose my footing.

Only to help me back up and charmingly do it all again.

No. No I didn't want to stick around to think of any of that. It was confusing enough just breathing next to her; taking the time to think about her would be so much worse. How could I possibly understand any of it when she was a complete mystery herself?

"'bout time," Tayuya joked as I came downstairs, "I thought I would die from old age."

"Don't even," I rolled my eyes with a small smile as she laughed. Then as I took my keys from the kitchen counter, I heard her admit, "Alright so you we're pretty fast. I'm surprised, I could have sworn you'd keep me waiting."

Her silly grin sat on her face as I walked up to her with a little taunt, "Great Tayuya? Of course not, I would _never_."

She continued to laugh as we walked down the front porch, "Well either way, I would have waited however long it took."

"Oh yeah?" I asked as I glanced over my shoulder and watched as she picked up her board that she left on the yard.

"Yeah," she replied conversationally as she straightened and caught my eye with a smile, "My friends would just have to wait. Plus, it would be for a good cause, right? Ino Yamanaka taking the time to get prettier."

My cheeks warmed as I turned forward and stumbled, "Sure, whatever."

Unable to control my emotions, my stomach danced lightly as Tayuya's laugh died down. She came to my side, her lips tugged in a warm smile while offering, "So did you really want to ride my board?"

"Um," I started, suddenly feeling uncertain as I looked down at the board at her hip, "Well, I did when I asked, but now I'm not so sure."

"Oh don't do that to Lucy," she pouted with her eyes going puppy dog, "You can't let her down like that."

"Lucy," I repeated with a small smile and a shake of my head in mild disbelief, "The board's name is Lucy?"

She only grinned, as if naming her board was as natural as the air we were breathing, "Well yeah. She takes real good care of me too, and I used to spend most of my nights with her. Of course she has a name."

Another smile slipped my lips, but it was small and soft. Carefully hiding my amusement, I commented, "Well that's a nice name."

"Yes it is," she nodded in agreement, "I told her that you would be riding along today. Too bad she's only getting shut down now."

I huffed and gave a small pout, "But she's scary."

"No worries, Princess," Tayuya's eyes sparkled as she slipped on, "You can hold my hand to make sure you won't fall."

My heart lurched as alarms blared. With my nerves tumbling along my stomach and chest, I swallowed and rushed out in panic, "No, no it's okay. I'll totally look like a dork."

"A dork?" She asked in amusement. Her smile was back, the knowing one. She watched me steadily with that tug at her lips and said carefully, "No you won't, if anything you'll look great. Plus we'll take it slow, and I promise to catch you if you fall."

I fidgeted with my finger and looked away, analyzing the smooth concrete and the small decline as my eyes wandered towards the distance we had to walk. Biting my lip, I mumbled, "Will she really be that heartbroken if I don't ride her?"

Tayuya didn't answer right away. Instead, she took the time to place her board on the road and walked in front of my line of sight, giving me a smooth smile that was caring and gentle. Then, offering me her hand, she replied in somewhat of a taunt, "We both would be heartbroken if you declined our second invitation."

Her eyes felt like they were looking right past me. Maybe she knew I wasn't scared of the board at all, but of _her_ and _her soft hand_ as I took it unsteadily. Her warmth spread and settled in my tummy, making me doubt even more if this was a good idea; but I couldn't possibly say no now that I've seen her radiant grin, as if she won some prize at the carnival. With another childish yet reassuring smile, she carefully tugged me back to her board. I stood on one side as she stood on the other.

"She's a first timer Luss," Tayuya informed to her board, but her eyes never left mine, "Take it easy, huh?"

"Seriously, you are making me think this thing is alive," I murmured as I put one foot on Lucy, giving her a wary glance, "I mean, is she going to kick me off or something?"

"Only if she sees a bug," she replied with a shrug, laughing at the way I squeezed her hand and showed my worry, "I'm kidding, of course not. Plus, I'm right here. Do you honestly believe I would let you fall?"

"I have yet to put this much trust in you," I said. Then practically hopping on the board, I put my other foot up and steadied myself by leaning some of my weight on Tayuya as she stood there with a grin. Squealing on the inside, I squeaked out, "Okay, okay, I can't do this."

"Oh shut up," she mumbled in a distracted way, holding my hand tight as she bent down to the ground. I watched her, more worried about losing my grip on her than what she was doing, and followed her finger as she pointed, "You want to move your right foot here and your left foot there, that way you aren't just standing there like some soldier."

"Well excuse me," I complained as I attempted to comply, wobbling a bit and squealing out, "I've never done this before!"

At my wobble, Tayuya shot up and grabbed my waist, steadying me as she gave me a wary smile, "Well I can't say you are a natural at this."

I glared while grabbing her shoulders, ignoring the feel of her slim fingers gripping my hips, "Whatever, I'm not that bad at it."

"Of course not," the way she replied made me doubt if she honestly agreed, "Can you stand now?"

"Yeah," I answered with a careful glance at my feet, "It doesn't feel as wobbly."

"Because you are actually supporting yourself now," she explained, pulling her fingers away from my waist. I missed the feel of her instantly, but not a moment later she was holding my hand between us as she looked up at me, "Alright, think we can start rolling now."

"Oh no," I whimpered unintentionally as I looked ahead of us, "I can't do this. We will either make it to the movies super duper late or I'm just going to have to be taken to the hospital from breaking all of my bones."

"Your optimistic side is _very_ impressive," she joked with a small laugh, "Just hold onto me if you feel like you're going to fall."

My stomach knotted, but this time from the potential danger and not from the way Tayuya kept her eyes on me steadily. Taking a breath, I nodded and said hesitantly, "Okay, let's do this."

I screamed as soon as we started rolling.

I pretty much screamed periodically throughout the whole trip.

X

When we finally made it to the old movie theater–because it honestly took us forever–it looked as if her friends were all waiting on us. I couldn't contain my blush as I stumbled out apologies after Tayuya explained why we were late. They didn't seem to mind. Actually, they started to comment on how it took them a while until they all finally got how to skate.

For some reason, from the moment my eyes stuck all of them, I loved their company. They all carried that warm smile Tayuya sometimes showed me. Their laugh was just as musical when they teased and taunted each other, playfully pointing and laughing. None of them took the world seriously, all of them were so laid back.

I wonder why I never bothered to ever walk over and talk to them. Those days I was looking for Tayuya, honestly I should have just gave in and asked where she was. They were so open, so accepting, I bet they wouldn't have cared. At the end of it all, I could have made a bunch of friends.

Why senior year? Why did I have to start understanding all these things now, so late?

My favorite, and maybe my opinion is a bit bias, was Kiba. But the moment Tayuya told me who she became best friends with, was the moment I started to realize how great he was. She told me things about him, mumbled about how he stuck around through the shitty years of school. The one that kept her smiling and laughing, making all of the workload and stressful cliques seem like nothing but jokes.

Out of all of them, including Tayuya, Kiba's smile was the most easy and natural.

He honestly seemed like he was enjoying himself talking to me as we all waited for the movie. Tayuya wandered to talk to the others, so he kept me company. He'd joke about his and Tayuya's bad behavior back in middle school. The funny thing is, he blamed her for the whole thing, laughs and all.

Just as I was falling for the way his smile would curve so gracefully, Tayuya tapped me on my shoulder, "Hey, they are about to go, let's wait inside the theater."

"Oh," I said in surprise, turning back to Kiba.

He smiled apologetically while offering,"Sorry, total bad habit."

"No no, " I assured with a bright smile, "I completely forgot, that's all. Um, see you later?"

"Yeah," he nodded with an easy grin, "Should be a good movie."

I laughed a little as he walked off with a wave. Turning to Tayuya, she gave me an unsteady smile and started slowly, "So uh, what do you think?"

"Of your friends?" I questioned with a raise of my eyebrows. Then, laughing at her worried look, I pushed her shoulders and gushed, "What do you mean? They're amazing! Of course I was going to like them."

"Oh," she stumbled with a small laugh, "I was so nervous. Sometimes they can be questionable."

"No they were great," I assured while walking towards the entrance, "Kiba was super nice."

"He likes to be polite in front of guests," she joked as we showed the man our tickets, "It's his secret way to steal everyone away from me."

"Hmm," I hummed as we stepped down the lonely hall, tiptoeing into a twirl as I teased, "So there was another girl before me?"

Tayuya's red bang fell as she gave me her soft smirk. With a roll of her eyes, she slid her eyes to the walls as she replied, "Nah, there's only you. He stole all of our other friends though."

I laughed and danced forward, turning to the theater door. Pulling it open, I walked inside and noticed that it was completely empty. The screen was showing old movie facts with upbeat music playing in the background. Tayuya walked up next to me and gave a grin, "Well look at that, all to ourselves."

I smiled as my stomach fluttered. She stepped down the set of stairs to get a closer look, and I followed with my eyes wandering, "I wonder why no one else bothered to see this movie."

"Well it's pretty old," she laughed, taking her steps slowly, "I'm sure everyone else has already seen it."

"I can't believe I waited this long to see it myself," I admitted, then with a point I suggested, "What about over there? I think those are perfect."

"Over here?" Her eyes followed my fingers with a smile. Shrugging, she smiled happily as she lead the way, "Well sure, it does look like a good spot, but if they guys start complaining, I'm totally blaming you."

I rolled my eyes as she sat down on one of the seats. The way she watched me as I sat next to her made me squirm a bit. I settled and attempted to get comfortable, in doing so propping my feet on the chairs in front of me. When Tayuya began to do the same thing, I taunted softly, "You are such a copycat."

"Yeah right," she joked as she leaned back with a grin, "I was totally going to do it first. Anyway, did you mention to your mom how late you are going to be?"

"Uh," I started, my nose scrunching, "I don't think so. Why?"

"Well I don't want her thinking I'm whisking you away to fight some gangs or something," she replied with a small huff, "Maybe you should text her."

"Are you seriously _that_ worried?" I asked in disbelief, almost laughing at the way she shrugged. Instead, I smiled and stated carefully, "My mother happens to believe you are perfect. I doubt she thinks you're doing any of that stuff. Plus, she knows movies run like two hours, no need to tell her."

"Ah good," she replied with a small laugh as she fixed her beanie on her head, "Totally want to make a good impression."

"Impression?" I murmured, a bit confused. She was being hard to read, but my thoughts were distracted; my chest was tightening at the way she nervously avoided my eyes. After a moment a smile slipped my lips, and with a small sigh, I turned away while rolling my eyes, "Stop being a dork. Your impression will totally be flawless without you trying so hard. Like I said, she adores you."

I felt her eyes as they wandered back to me. There was a smile in her tone as she admitted, "Well, she does kinda get excited whenever I'm around. It's almost like I'm the favorite child."

"Absolutely not," I snapped while poking out my tongue teasingly and scrunching my nose again, "She's mine. You can't have her."

"Alright, alright," she surrendered with a small chuckle. After a moment, a small smile slipped her lips as she admitted carefully, "You know, you're cute when you do that."

I'm not sure why, but tonight my eyes wandered to hers instead of fluttering away at her embarrassing compliment. With my stomach flipping nervously and my hand squeezing my knee, I watched the way her eyes twinkled with amusement as she smoothly presented another smile. Looking away, I took a breath and stared at my lap. Carefully, I replied, "Yeah right, you just want to tease me."

"Tease you?" She taunted out while I watched her shadow slip over me while she leaned closer and joked, "Like you don't already know you're gorgeous. Sooner or later Princess, you'll start to realize most of what I say is true."

I bit my lip, feeling my stomach float, "You're being ridiculous, of course I don't think I'm gorgeous. I'm not even that pretty."

"Is that what you think?" Her tone was surprised, but her voice danced in a teasing way, "Well I can be here to say otherwise, and I'll do it as many times as you need me too. Everyday, if you asked."

I couldn't take much more of this, it was like her toying around was amplified tonight. My heart stuttered and I stumbled out, "You don't have to. It's a self esteem thing, I never really thought I was great to look at, pretty much average."

"I know I don't have to, Princess," Tayuya mumbled, a soft smirk on her face as she continued casually with her eyes set on mine, "But I want to."

"Um," I rushed out, frantically trying to think of something to say. It was worse that I could feel her smile and eyes on me, that amusing little twinkle in her gaze steadily taunting me. I felt it all, and it was messing with my ability to speak, "If you-"

"Hey there pretty lady." I jumped in my seat as Kiba popped up in the row in front of us, "Miss us?"

"Aw man Tayuya, you should have joined," her friend Kankuro said as he plopped next to her, "Burned nice and slow tonight. Hit right too. Ino even could have joined if she wanted."

"Shut up," she mumbled back with a small glare, "Ino doesn't smoke, we aren't going to change that."

"Whoa there little Kat," Kiba stepped in with a laugh, "No need to bite his head off, he was just being polite."

She rolled her eyes as Kankuro grinned over at me, "Sorry, no peer pressure. We aren't into that stuff."

"It's okay," I smiled, glancing at the way Tayuya shook her head in disbelief, "I mean it's not like I can't say no."

"Exactly," Kiba nodded with a grin thrown at the red head who was glaring at him, "She can say no, so no worries."

Everyone clumped together in the middle, all trying to get the best seats. Luckily Tayuya and I got here first, or I might have been placed next to one of her friends randomly. The thought made me nervous, so I was glad it was her I was sitting with. She even let me have most of the armrest, but sometimes–and I'm not sure if it was on purpose–she would brush against my arm. Sometimes her fingers would slip across my skin, leaving me shivering.

Each time I tensed with this exciting squeeze in my chest. I'm not sure what I wanted to happen, or maybe I just didn't want to admit it to myself. Maybe I was just hoping for her to do something else, forcing some sort of frustratingly frantic emotion through me. I was whisked away by the idea of her lingering touch drifting towards my hand and fingers, leaving the movie to fall into the background as I completely lost focus.

Just sitting next to her was confusing.

Still, the movie was good. Well, the parts I bothered to pay attention to anyway. Sometimes my eyes wandered to the redhead next to me, and almost every time she caught me with a small knowing smile.

X

All too soon, I had to say bye. They all smiled and waved, but Kiba took the time to give me a hug. It was awkward at first, because I was stiff with surprise, but slowly his warmth spread evenly throughout me and I found myself wrapping my arms around him as well with a melting smile. Almost all of them boarded here, so after our goodbyes they all hopped on and skated away into the night.

I turned to Tayuya after everyone slowly disappeared into darkness. It looked as if she was waiting for me, her smile light as she raised her eyebrows, "Ready to go?"

I nodded with a smile and skipped towards her. Bumping my shoulder against hers, I sighed, "I'm sad everyone had to go home, I wish we could have hung out earlier."

"Smoking tends to keep our activity close to late afternoon," Tayuya explained as we started to walk home, "If it wasn't for that I doubt we'd wait so late to actually try to do something together."

"Such a bad habit," I mumbled, looking away when she glanced at me curiously. Biting my lip, I started slowly, "Why do you do it anyway? Is it fun?"

"Oh god," she mumbled in horror, "Don't tell me you are interested in trying it."

"Of course not!" My rushing to confirm caused me to do a small shout. Clearing my throat with my eyes still anywhere but hers, I continued, "I just really want to know. Before, when we first started to talk, you told me that you couldn't quit–not yet. You... never really explained what that meant."

My voice faded and silence replaced me. I'm not sure why I was so nervous asking, she practically told me everything that was relatively intimate about her more and more often; but after all this time, smoking was never a subject we breached. Except for that one night she crawled through my window with her hat low and voice soft, she never really told me when she was high or not. But then again, she didn't need too, because I started to notice the signs:

Her clothes would smell faint of smoke and sun. Her eyes were never red, but her smile always seemed a bit more loose. She would toss me grins that resembled a child and laughed more naturally and earnest. I could tell when she smoked, I was around her too often to not have acquired the skill. Still, I never picked up the nerve to ask why, I guess because I wanted her to realize I accepted her no matter what.

Even if I truly wished she didn't.

"Hm, you remember that," she hummed quietly as she shoved her hands in her pockets. Looking ahead, her eyes finally sliding away from me, she mumbled, "Well back then I had a whole shit load of problems. Still kinda do, but not really. You help with a lot of it."

My skin prickled as I asked softly in disbelief, "Really? I don't do anything. Usually we just end up watching movies."

"I don't get it much either," she explained, and I watched as she smiled to herself while she tugged at her beanie with one hand, "But you always seem to dull whatever is happening. It's one of the many reasons I find you so amazing that I simply must hang out with you everyday and sometimes nights."

A smile slipped my lips as I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "You are a dork."

She slid her eyes back to mine with a small grin, "Yeah, but only when you are around. I'm the cool kid in my group."

"Oh really?" I joked with a small laugh, "I thought you looked down on the popularity system."

"I do," she admitted as she laughed along, "But it's truth, I'm just too cool for words."

My laugh bubbled into a small giggle before I let out another sigh. Looking around as we walked in peaceful silence, I noticed a small trail that looked like a shortcut. With a sudden urge for adventure, I curiously wondered if it lead to the neighborhood park, which was practically across the street from us. Slowly coming to a stop, I grabbed Tayuya's arm and tugged her. She glanced at me, and with a smile I pointed and asked softly, "Don't you want to see where that goes?"

"Huh," she started with a scrunch of her eyebrows as she looked at the trail curiously, "I've never seen it before. It's pretty cool, bushes on both sides with a little road. Wonder if it leads to the park."

"That's what I was thinking," I nodded while bouncing and tugging at her arm excitedly, "Let's see where it goes! If it does lead to the park, great. If not, we can just turn around and go the regular way."

Her smile was light as she rolled her eyes and scratched that back of her head, "Well, if you really want to; but it's getting late, do you think you're mom will mind?"

"Oh my goodness," I breathed with a huff and a push of her shoulder, "Leave her out of this, I mean it's _our_ date. Why don't you take the time to impress me?"

Tayuya blinked in surprise as I laughed and walked towards the trail. I carefully stepped down from the sidewalk, glancing to see if she decided to follow or not. Her eyes practically glowed in the dark, piercing through the night and steadily watching me. The catch of my eye caused her to give a small smile. Looking away, she put her hands back in her pocket and allowed me to lead without a word.

I turned back forward, reaching the dark trail. For a moment I paused, giving Tayuya enough time to reach me. She stood next to me with a small smirk, "Oh, is Miss Adventure scared now?"

"Of course not," I sniffed with the turn of my head as I continued indifferently, "I was just waiting on Miss Slowpoke."

"Such a child," she teased with a small smile before taking the first step. I followed her shortly after, but my eyes wandered alertly. I didn't realize how dark it was here, without any of the street lights lingering within. The further we went, the darker it got. Eventually, I could hardly see in front of me.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," I started softly, my arm brushing against Tayuya's because I was walking so close to her.

"Nothing to be afraid of," she assured as she switched her board to her other hip, probably accommodating my proximity, "Plus I'm here."

"Will Great Tayuya save me from the unknown?" I teased softly with a glance at her.

She gave me a smooth smile as she said confidently, "Damn straight."

I smiled slightly as I looked away, "Well I'm glad you're here, then."

"Always will be," she replied, her arm brushing against mine again.

My tummy fluttered at her casual promise. Fidgeting with my fingers in my right hand, while allowing my left hand and arm to continue to brush against Tayuya's, I mumbled, "What about college?"

"College," her sigh seemed stressful as she replied, "I don't know, Ino. What about college?"

"Nothing," I answered quickly, feeling embarrassed, "Never mind."

"Don't do that," she whispered as we continued to walk the dark trail. I felt her eyes slide to me as I struggled to keep mine away, "Tell me, I just don't understand the question."

"Well," I started slowly, unsure of the question myself. Taking a breath, I stumbled out, "You said always, but I mean there's college. Won't we get separated? You won't be going to the same one as me, right?"

"Most likely not," she mumbled back, looking away the moment I slipped my eyes to hers, "I never really thought about it. Seems so far."

"Winter break is around the corner," I whispered back, then with a bite of my lip I paused for a moment before pressing, "After that, we will _literally_ be counting the days until graduation."

"What do you want to do?" She asked curiously, but her tone seemed off and distant, "What would you want to major in?"

"I've wanted to work with kids," I admitted with a small blush, "I was thinking maybe kindergarten teacher or something."

Her smile was real, but her voice was almost a weak whisper, "You know, I can see you doing that."

"Yeah," my smile slipped my lips slowly, "What about you?"

"Mechanical Engineer," she replied with another sigh, "I like working with my hands."

"That's a good choice," I commented with an earnest nod, "The field is growing out of control, and there is a real high demand for it. You'll make a great engineer."

"Heh, sure."

With that, we fell silent, thoughts swirling in both of our heads. My hand was itching, wanting to hold hers for some reason. I'm not sure why, but I did always love the warmth of her. Plus, considering that we slept together every so often, it just felt awkward not feeling her in some way. That must have been the reason I wanted my fingers laced with hers.

It was my excuse for the truth I was trying so hard to ignore.

The silence stretched for as long as the trail. With no light, we couldn't see an end. What made it worse was that Tayuya felt different beside me, it was like I could _feel_ the shift of her mood. She didn't seem as easy going and teasing anymore, instead she was getting lost in her own mind. I bit my lip and glanced at her every so often, wondering what I could say or do. Maybe it was a bad idea to bring up college, I mean it was a little too soon anyway. We had the rest of the year to deal with it.

So why did I even bother?

My fingers twitched as she brushed against me again. With the balling of my right fist, I tried to contain myself. But she was so quiet, so gone in her own world, that I was finding it hard to deal with. I wanted her back with me, I wanted her smiling face and smooth remarks. I wanted her smirks as I fumbled over something stupid.

Would it be weird if I just went ahead and held her hand? Would she find it awkward and give me some crazy look? Why did I have to be such a nervous mess around her?

Why did she have to make me think such stupid thoughts about her?

"Maybe," she mumbled out slowly, her voice seeming nervous and soft, "Maybe they have a school with a good teaching and engineering program."

I was surprised by her voice, feeling guilty for being caught thinking of such ridiculous things, but her statement seemed to melt all of my nervousness away. It didn't happen quickly, instead it danced slowly to the background as I processed what she said.

She was thinking about us and college. Thinking of how to stay together past high school.

My smile was small and I watched as she nervously shifted while tugging her beanie. Her stubborn bang fell down her forehead as she leaned forward, most likely trying to escape my gaze. With her eyes falling to the side, she mumbled, "I mean it's a long shot, pretty sure, but we could always check it out if you... I don't know, if you really _did_ want me around for that long."

Smooth remarking Tayuya may have left, but anxious Tayuya seemed just as chest tightening. The way my stomach fluttered felt different from when she would give me her sly smiles. The fuzzies that ran through me were falling for the way she awkwardly avoided my eyes and shifted with unease.

I couldn't help it, not with her acting so vulnerable. Slowly, carefully, my fingers slipped across her arm, sliding against her skin. She seemed to stop at my touch, her constant swinging coming to an awkward standstill. With a smile I laced my fingers with hers, and with my eyes on her retreating ones, I breathed out, "Maybe it is a long shot, but yes Tayuya... I do want you around for that long."

My heart slowly hammered, each moment my immunity to nervousness slowly chipping down. Her warmth gradually brought me back to reality, and with it the sense of all my thoughts–the ones I tried so hard to not think about. I didn't want to think about why I had these strange feelings, because I didn't want to ruin what was already so perfect. How long though, how long would I be able to run away from her and her charming little smiles and easy going taunts?

Honestly, I doubt I could run much further than I already have. Because unknowingly I already fell for her so long ago. And no matter how hard I tried to backtrack, I couldn't bring myself from not falling deeper with each passing second.

* * *

(1)** - **/watch?v=QPl3Aip82Gw&list=RD02OK075fzsDCM (Music for your ears. The link to the song I used)

**Tell me what you think! I tried hard, even went through it to edit. But its late/early so I might have missed a lot. The first "date" though it was joked, we all know it was serious. Again, review what you thought! I'm eager for it all.**

**I'm sorry it took so long to update, I was literally writing paragraphs a night just trying to get this out. Literally maybe two paragraphs before stopping, rereading, and telling myself I will write more tmrw. About a week, that's how long it took. How weird, right?**

**Also, I would like to inform you all that I'm going to Texas! Moving and all that, it's going to be a long journey. Plus, with my parents in the army, housing isn't going to be automatic. Long story short, this means that I MIGHT be gone for another long time. But as soon as I'm able, best believe I'll be spitting out another chapter.**

**Again review. I love you all. Hopefully I can poop out another before Saturday comes (the day I leave). If not. I love you, and see you guys soon.**

**Shy is gone now, but not for long. Love. Out. **


	15. Quack real smooth

**A/N -**Hey there guys! Thanks for the reviews. I was just dying to get another chapter out for you, because I wanted you to enjoy this story to the fullest before it is put on hold because of me moving. There might be some mistakes, so hopefully my lovely beta Konetsu will come to my rescue.

Now here's a chapter for your beautiful face. Enjoy.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Disclosure 'You & Me' Flume remix_

_For Kit Kat~ As promised, but I'm sorry if it isn't as feely as you wanted!_

It was easy to run away from my feelings, but it wasn't easy to run away from Tayuya. She was there, constantly, with the same smile and laugh. There was nothing odd about her usual jokes and taunts, all of it kept the same teasing tone with that same amusing glint in her eyes just like the day we first started to speak.

It made me confused. Was I the only one who noticed that our friendship seemed just a bit off? Our touches lingered, our smiles danced away slowly, and our eyes steadily watched one another when the other wasn't paying attention.

I couldn't have been the only one to realize that maybe we were closer than other friends. Yet, no matter how impossible it seemed, I felt so unsure if Tayuya honestly noticed the hammering of my heart every time she gave me a small smile after making some ridiculous comment about how pretty I was. I wondered if she saw the blushes she created when watching me carefully as I walked about my room, cleaning. And maybe she truly didn't hear the soft sighs that would slip when we got a chance to sleep together, her arm snaking across my waist and fingertips tickling my tummy.

Maybe it was all in my head; maybe I was looking into it. But it was the fact that Tayuya was so hard to read that I found myself doubting even that.

Maybe this _was_ all real. Maybe I honestly do...

No. I couldn't admit it. Not when I was sure the first time was a mistake. And even breaching the memory made my heart shiver and body weak. But the other night, on that date, it felt so real. When that little tinkering thought peaked in my mind the moment I held her hand, the only doubts I had was what Tayuya would possibly think of it all.

But now I was starting to feel that it was just some silly thought. I couldn't have possibly...

My stomach twisted as I curled into my bed with groan. Even in my mind, I couldn't force it out.

"Ino," my mother sang as she entered my room with no warning, "I am here to present your guest! And you would not _believe_ who it could be."

With my mother bursting in, I felt caught thinking of ridiculous things again. Sitting up straight from my laying down position, I blushed and rushed out, "Is it illegal to knock in this house?"

"Oh my, did I catch my daughter having private time?" Her question was as ridiculous as her face while she brought her fingers to her lips in mock shock, "Well I must say, you are coming to that age-"

"Oh god," I stumbled while shooting up from my bed and pushing past her as I cried out, "I wasn't doing anything! And you promised not to bring anything up like that again! We had the 'talk' once! Once! It's all I need, mom!"

My mothers cackling laughter sounded evil as I hurried downstairs. It was enough to be confused out of my mind with Tayuya, I didn't need to be tortured by the woman who birthed me as well. Luckily it looked as if my _guest_ decided to wait outside. Hopping from the second step, I bounced to the door and opened it.

Tayuya stood there, a beanie on her head with her usual style clothes on. When she spotted my face, she grinned and held up a bag, "I brought breakfast."

My eyebrows rose as I stood back to let her in, "What's the occasion?"

"We are starting a new tradition today," she explained as she passed me. While I shut the door, she continued to the living room and I followed, "I decided that I seriously appreciate Saturday morning cartoons."

Scrunching my nose as she sat down, I crossed my arms and humored her, "Saturday morning cartoons? Like, on channel twenty?"

"Yeah," she nodded without looking up, her eyes in the bag as she pulled out food, "I was in my room watching it and said to myself, 'You know what would make this morning even better Tayuya?'; And the answer was you. So I grabbed my board, went to the store down the street, and grabbed some goodies for our epic morning."

She was too busy neatly placing the food on the floor to notice the blush at my cheeks. Quietly, I walked over and sat next to her, our shoulders touching as I attempted to act normal by playing nosey, "Well that sounds ok, I guess. What did you bring?"

"Your favorites," she gushed with a grin on her face as she presented me the food, "I grabbed some breakfast donuts, some little mini boxes of cereals, and I even brought you some of that fancy orange juice you like."

I couldn't help but smile at the excited way she watched me and waited for approval. Taking the bottle from her hand, I gave a small laugh while saying as warmly as possible, "Thanks so much. This stuff is delicious."

She practically hummed happily as she went back to concentrating on the food. While she did that, I stood up from the couch and walked over the grab the remote. Turning on the TV, I changed the channel and swirled back to face her. In that time span she had a small little couch picnic at her feet. She gave me a beaming smile, which I responded to with an amused roll of my eyes as I sat back down with her, my legs crossed.

"Power Rangers," I mumbled in disbelief as I noticed what was playing.

"Watch," Tayuya replied excitedly with a push of my shoulder, "It'll get better."

I merely smiled with a shake of my head. Slowly, my attention was wrapped around the bad action effects and the exaggerated acting. I couldn't help but laugh at some parts, but it didn't matter what I thought of the shows, Tayuya was still engrossed by it. With a sigh, I gave up with trying to find all of it ridiculous and allowed myself to slowly fall into whatever world she was in. Soon, I found myself watching all these strange shows that actually started to keep my attention with it's mild kid drama.

After the third episode of some random show I couldn't remember the name of, Tayuya and I managed to finish eating. I didn't have much because I had a little of what my mother cooked earlier, but everything she brought was honestly my favorite, so I couldn't help but eat until I was absolutely stuffed.

Tayuya must have been full as well, because after her last bite of the donut she had in her hand, she slumped to my lap and groaned, "Kay, I can't do this anymore."

I nervously shifted with a shaky smile, unsure where to put my hands as I kept them awkwardly in the air. I attempted to ignore my stumbling nerves as I asked slowly, "Um... what? Eating?"

"Yes eating," she taunted with a smile. Her eyes were extra light today as they stared up at me, a playful look on her face, "I ate way too much. Do you mind me laying here for a bit? You're comfy."

God, I felt like the look she was giving me was similar to a cat toying with a mouse. My blush steadily spread my cheeks as I forced myself to remain as calm as possible, but it was_ impossible _with her watching my every move. Understanding that I had just lost the ability to speak, I bit my lip and simply nodded in reply. With a grin, she thanked me by rolling to her side so she could resume watching TV.

My thoughts lingered again, dancing with the way her warmth spread through me. My tummy floated as I forced one hand on her shoulder and the other beside me on the couch. She shifted at my touch, comfortably moving closer to me. Heart steadily thumping, I looked down at her and her beanie covered hair. Seconds after doing so, she noticed with a small smile.

"Is my beanie bothering you?" She asked casually, as if I wasn't struggling to breathe.

"No," I stumbled, tearing my gaze away from her.

"Want me to take it off?" She pressed, my nerves on edge as she continued to torment me.

"You can if you want," I replied indifferently.

"Do you know _why _I usually have beanies on?" Her tone turned conversational, and with absolute dread, I felt her shift to look up at me again.

"No," I replied, my eyes nervously glancing back down at her as I asked carefully, "Why do you always have them on?"

"To keep this stupid bang in place," she replied with a blow at the piece of hair that had managed to squeeze past her beanie's defenses and slipped to the middle of her nose, "It torments me, and it has been since birth."

Her dramatics slipped a smile at my lips, and when she caught it she grinned. Then, without much thought, she leaned forward a bit and tugged her beanie off, letting her red hair tumble every which way on my lap. I could never get over how purely red her hair was, or how lushes it looked.

With a tone of jealousy, I brought my fingers to her bang and brushed it lightly to one side of her forehead, "Your hair is perfect."

"Far from it," she replied with a huff, but there was a small smile at her lips as I accidentally continued to comb my fingers through the rest of her hair. With a bite of my lip, I slipped my fingers away along with my eyes as Tayuya snorted softly in amusement, "I was thinking of cutting it. See if there is a style that I'll look good in without this dumb bang."

"No!" I rushed out quickly with a look of absolute confusion, "Why would you even think of cutting your hair! It's amazing how it is!"

She blinked in surprise, my outburst catching her off guard. But shortly after she gave a small smile and mumbled, "Do you honestly think I shouldn't? I mean... Do you like it how it is?"

I don't know why, but I hated the way she asked me her questions. With a twist of my stomach, I found my bursting behavior sinking into my usual meek and nervous one. Then, softly, I replied, "Shut up."

I was relieved when she only laughed and accepted that as my answer. It didn't matter if it didn't make sense, she already knew what my reply would be. So with a small smirk, she slowly closed her eyes and fell silent, not bothering with taunting me for change.

Minutes tumbled by, and with every glance I noticed she still hadn't opened her eyes. When the silence became overwhelming, I asked softly, "Are you sleepy?"

"I don't usually wake up until three on Saturdays," she replied quietly. Then, with a wiggle, she shifted until she was facing my tummy and curled into me, "I'm super tired, I didn't realize it until I laid down."

Her nose brushed my stomach, which caused me to blush, but when I noticed that she honestly didn't plan on opening her eyes or watching the rest of the marathon, my stumbling nerves seemed silly and I even managed to laugh lightly. Placing my hand at her ear, I played with it teasingly before sighing and tangling my fingers in her hair, "Then I guess this is goodnight."

A smile tugged at her lips as she murmured back, "Only for a few minutes, don't worry."

I only rolled my eyes, not believing a word, and allowed her to fall into whatever dreamland she thought she was in. It only took three minutes to hear her soft snores, and two hours until she finally decided to open her eyes.

The whole time my mind wandered with my fingers gently running through her hair. In the back of my mind, I told myself I didn't mind any of this and wondered if this feeling of comfortability is what I confused for the strange feelings I felt the other night.

I was no closer to understanding anything about the emotions Tayuya seemed to twist in me, but I did quietly tell myself that there was no way in hell I would allow her to ever cut her hair.

X

I would like to say that school was less confusing, but it wasn't. I found myself wandering towards the skater's lunch table, the smiles and laughs just too warming to resist. My friends didn't mind, and that wasn't the problem. It was that I was realizing Kiba's laugh and Kankuro's jokes were more of an appealing time passer than sitting with my actual friends of 7 years who did nothing but gossip and joke on other people.

My friends were nice, honestly they were, and they hardly did any real harm; but after awhile you get tired of the usual day to day things that seriously didn't matter: like clothes, fashion, and how many guys/chicks you could pull. It was shallow nonsense that I only put up with because past all of that, they were still my friends. But the more the days trickled by, the more I found myself with Kiba, laughing at some story he was telling. Or I was casually chatting with Kankuro, who liked to entertain me with different types of music I've never even heard of.

I was falling in love with Tayuya's world, and I couldn't help it.

To take a breath from everything, I found myself wandering the halls at lunch today. It was stormy, small rumbles of thunder tumbling along above us with rare strikes of lightening here and there. Despite it being relaxing, giving that I loved the rain, it was also a nuisances because I couldn't sit under the hiding spot at the bleachers like I planned. So, instead, I slowly walked to the other end of the school to pass the time.

Just as I was passing another exit from school, I heard a girl singing from the distance. I stopped in my tracks, straining my ears to hear. As I held my breath, I listened to the upbeat song she was singing.

"Quack quack quack- quack your hands."

A small smile slipped my lips as I scrunched my nose and noticed the strange remix to an old song. Taking quiet steps so I wouldn't miss anything, I moved to the exit door and looked to see who was being so silly on this boring Monday afternoon. I'm not sure if I was surprised to see a little gray duck running in circles with a pink haired girl wiggling in place.

"To the left! Waddle back now ya'll. Two flops this time! Right foot two stomps! Left foot two stomps! Now duck real smooth!"

I burst out laughing as I opened the door, my giggles bubbling as I shook my head and asked, "Oh my god, why are you out here?"

Sakura twirled around quickly, practically jumping at being caught. When she recognized me, she face palmed while mumbling to herself, "Ethan, please tell me that isn't the cute girl from the other day standing in front of us, questioning our acts of entertainment."

"It is," I smiled, bits and pieces of my laughter still pushing past my lips, though I tried to contain it, "What in the world are you two doing?"

"Uh," Sakura started, still attempting to gather herself. I smiled, watching as pushed off her maroon hood from her head. She was wearing an Ironman jacket, and I think that entertained me even more, "Ethan loves the rain, so I was out here with him and then… things spiraled out of control."

I laughed again and stepped towards the baby duck, who gave me a look and quacked before going back to running in circles. Smiling, I admitted, "Well we have that in common, Mr. Ethan, rain is awesome."

"He started whispering these lyrics in my ear," Sakura continued in the background, "Then he demanded bath time songs, and with the lyrics and all, I just began to sing. Then the music ensnared me with it's catchy rhythm. I felt like little mermaid or something. You know, with the spells."

"You know what I think?" I started, turning towards her with a little smile as I attempted not to laugh at her silly comparison, "I think you're the one who started the bath time songs."

"There she goes again," she replied while turning away from me and moving to Ethan, "Reading my soul. It's as if all of it is written on my face. Dumb face. Just giving up all my secrets."

I laughed and rolled my eyes, "It isn't you're face that gives it up."

"Are you implying that my one true friend, Ethan over here, has been whispering you the truth this whole time?" She asked as she kneeled down next to the baby duck. As soon as she did, Ethan waddled over and wiggled into her hands, "Ethan, bro, you need to stop sabotaging me and taking all the ladies. I mean, like, you already have so many fawning over you. Let me have one."

I opened my mouth, but stopped when the unintentional flirt hit me. As I stumbled, Sakura glanced over and saved me from making some embarrassing reply, "Seriously, I think half the people who talk to me are really around for this guy over here. It must be his pecs- you know- because he has a beak… and beaks sometimes peck.. I feel like that joke should just be deleted. Please pretend I never said it."

It took me a moment to realize what she was trying to say, and despite how corny the joke was I found myself laughing even more. She straightened up with a small smile, little Ethan in her hand. Shaking her head, she continued, "No seriously, please tell no one of that failed attempt. Anyway, what's up?"

"I'll try," I replied, but in my mind I already thought of telling Tayuya of the silly joke, "And, nothing. I got bored, and wandered this way. Aren't you guys usually in Hall E?"

"Yes," she replied, moving to go inside. She allowed me to go first, and I listened as she followed, "But my academy teacher said that if I wanted to take Ethan out, I needed to be towards the soccer field. He was worried that this guy would dart away and get lost in the woods near that side of the school."

"Can he seriously waddle that fast?" I asked as I twirled back to her and Ethan.

"Honestly, yes," she sighed out with a shake of her head, "He's a duck of many talents. I think his egg was bit by a spider. And then, like, he hatched with a genetic mutation to be able to swing from lockers and kick flip into hiding places."

I laughed, following her as we made our way to what I was assuming E Hall, "Well I can see why everyone wants to be around him, I mean he's absolutely amazing."

"Yup," she said happily before bending down to mumble to Ethan softly, "Are you happy now? She has completely fallen for your charm."

I smiled slightly and inserted conversationally, "Well with you're help in hyping him up, I can't help but fall for such an amazing duck. I mean, he's famous right? His face was plastered on a bunch of milk cartons."

For a change, I managed to make Sakura laugh. It was musical, and I liked the sound, but all too soon it ended as she gave me this lopsided smile, "You remember that? Oh god."

"It was pretty funny at the time," I replied while turning a corner with a smile as well, "So it would be hard to forget."

"Well I'll have you know, I thought of that little funny story myself," she admitted indifferently with a peak at me, "Am I impressing you yet?"

"Was the pecs joke your own too?" I asked with a smirk.

She laughed again, running her hand through her hair as she looked away from me, "Kay, I'm officially done trying. Thanks Ethan bro, you pretty much just made me an absolute joke in your towering shadow of awesome."

I giggled, and just as I was about to start small conversation about college, school, and how exactly she managed to always hang out with such a cool duck, the bell rang above me. Looking up at the speakers, I gave a small frown of disappointment. After a moment, I glanced at Sakura to apologize for having to leave, but she spoke first, "Ah, so you have third lunch. Gotta go?"

"Yeah, to stupid class," I finished, a sigh at the end of my sentence as I dreaded my final class period.

"That's a bummer," she replied, and then with a scratch of her head, she added, "Uh, do you know about the science fair next week?"

I blinked, and shook my head, "No, when is it?"

"Monday," she informed, "It's after school, but Ethan and I pretty much have to set up the whole thing."

"Such a busy duck," I added with a small smile.

She gave me a grin, "He's just a bit too popular. Anyway, if you have the time, I think you should try to make it. I mean, if you're into science…"

"I'm not completely into it," I admitted, but with a warm tug at my lips, I continued, "Still, I'll try to make it. Sounds like fun. Not like I have anything else going on."

"Great!" She answered excitedly, giving a meek smile when she realized her bursting tone, "It's at 4:30. It only last for an hour, but we usually order pizza afterwards back in the academy room. You can stay for a few slices and then boogie home."

I laughed a little at the word boogie, but nodded, "Great. Pizza sounds yummy."

She gave me another lopsided grin, "Awesome! I'll tell the teacher, just so he knows- I don't think he'll care. And… Well I guess I'll see you around?"

"Hall E right?" I asked as started to she back away, watching the way her smile never left as she carefully held Ethan.

"Yup!" She called back, and then with a wave, she swirled around and made her leave.

But I promise, as I stood there while she turned the hall, I heard her humming the cha-cha slide; and there was no doubt in my mind that she was singing her own special duck version to herself.

* * *

(1) -watch?v=GT6J33_-LNw&list=PLM8k2ZmjGmH6MZDAIBKl8WN5EZMg3z2e2 (Music for your ears. Link to the song I used.

**Oooh, look, a wild Sakura has appeared. I love how everyone CAN'T hate her, because she just has too much Dorkswag to her. Yeah, there's such a thing. I'm sure all of you have dorkswag, it's why you guys are just so dern sexy to me.**

**Ohbby.**

**Anyway. I hope I did alright. I admit, I rushed, and I bet you guys can tell, but only because I wanted to give you a chapter before my long trip. I will make it up later with some amazing long chapter for the next update. If this move honestly does take forever, the least I can do is take the time to think of some good material for you guys. So either way its a win win, it's just a matter if it'll be sooner than later. **

**Oh, and I've gotten some comments about my choice of music! I'm glad you guys think I have good taste! I'm always excited to share whatever is stuck with me at the time, so it works out for the all of us.**

**Read, review, show me love because I will miss you all. I'll still have emails and all that, so don't be afraid to PM me if you get bored or want to talk to a fart like me.**

**I'll miss you guys already. Hopefully it won't be too long until we see eachother again.**

**Shycadet loves the dorkswag-goo that drips from all of you. Misses you even more. Out.**


	16. Party

**A/N- **EEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK!KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!

*runs in circles*

Omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omg omgomg

*gurrgles out in excitement*

*Foams out the mouth in excitement*

*spontaneously planks in excitement*

Oh my god.. The day.

The day has finally come.

**Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Songs used listed at the bottom_

"Party."

It was Wednesday at lunch when the magic word swept over our table. Instantly my friends leaned forward, their ears perking with automatic interest. I, on the other hand, was too busy sneaking a smile at Kiba, who had just glanced my way to give me a silly little wave and a grin.

"Party?" Naruto repeated, his mouth already twisting into a smile as his crystal blue eyes sparkled mischievously, "I'm sorry, but please tell me I heard that right."

My attention wandered from the doggish grin of Kiba to my friends, suddenly picking up words of their conversation. Leaning forward as well, I paid attention with slight interest.

"Yes," Temari, my friend of 7 years as well, replied with a grin of her own. Her sandy blonde hair tossed as she made eye contact with all of use. Then with her tone dropping, she explained, "My parents are getting out of town tomorrow, won't be back till Monday. I figured this would be the perfect time to have an old school get together."

"But with beer, music, and some classic _popular kid_s style?" Naruto asked with a hopeful perk. When Temari nodded, he gave a grin and fist pumped.

"So this Friday?" Tenten asked excitedly, some of her hair slipping to her forehead as she looked around to the rest of us with a smile, "The usual three day special?"

"Party Friday, clean Saturday, and relax Sunday," Sasuke drawled with a small little smirk, "Sounds good. Who should we invite?"

"Hell if I care," Temari replied as she leaned back in her chair with a shrug, but then added as her eyes locked onto mine, "Just as long as Miss Queen over there doesn't bail."

I gave her a friendly glare as Naruto nudged me and Tenten added, "It's your birthday next month right? I doubt we will be able to throw you an epic party then, so technically this is your early birthday-bash party-"

"Which means Ino couldn't bail even if she desperately wanted to," Naruto sang along with laugh and a point.

I huffed and argued, "I didn't plan on missing this one. I mean, even though we go to a lot of parties, we hardly ever have one that's made by _us_."

"Correction," Tenten came in with a smirk, "_We _usually go to parties, you usually come up with a lame excuse."

"I'm always busy," I replied with a sniff as I shifted and looked away. My eyes accidently landed on Tayuya, who gave me a small smile. Quickly looking back to my friends, I continued hastily, "It doesn't matter. Just know that I will definitely be there. So there is no reason to blackmail me."

Tenten merely laughed at my glare as Sasuke leaned back and gave a short smile that looked just a bit teasing, "So the queen has time for us this weekend, huh? That means we better go all out, that doesn't happen often."

I huffed again as Temari nodded with a smile, "That's exactly what we'll do then. We can make a cash-pool for beer and drinks for us five, but there is no way in hell I'm paying for the other kids."

"We could tell them to bring their own drinks," I suggested with a shrug, "I mean, they should be fine with that. If they want to get fucked up, then they can do it with their own expenses."

"Then it's final," Naruto smiled with a firm nod as his fist pounded against the table, "Just start telling people about it, the news will spread on its own."

Everyone nodded, so it was truly final; we would be having a party Friday with only the five of us cleaning the next day, and then just hanging out that Sunday. My mind wandered again as they started to talk about other things, already thinking of ways to ask my parents to stay the weekend at Temari's house, which was really a mansion because her parents were rich. I also told myself that I would need to tell Tayuya that Saturday morning cartoons would have to be cancelled this weekend.

I'm sure she would understand.

My eyes wandered back towards the skater table, this time Kankuro catching my eye. He stuck his tongue out at me teasingly. With a smile, and then a scrunch of my nose as I childishly did it back, I went back to eating my lunch and attempting to join my friends' conversation.

X

"No cartoons this weekend?" Tayuya repeated with a small pout before plopping onto my bed. It was late and my parents were asleep, but that didn't stop her from climbing into my room tonight as usual, "What the hell, we just started the tradition and we are breaking it."

"Only for this weekend," I assured with a smile as I sat down next to her. When she only gave a grumble into my sheets, I rolled my eyes and teasingly wiggled my fingers up to her shoulder blade. It was an awkward spot to be ticklish at, but she seemed to be the most sensitive in that area. She jumped and rolled away as I laughed and continued, "Something important came up, and I can't miss it."

"Gah," she huffed with a sigh, her hand running through her hair after she settled on her back. Reluctantly, she mumbled, "Alright, I guess I can't complain about that."

"Thanks for understanding," I replied with a smile.

Her eyes glided to mine, and with a curl of her lips, she murmured, "Sure thing princess," I looked away as she paused, leaning down to pick up my books at my feet. In the midst of stacking them neatly, she started slowly, "Maybe you can make it up to me..."

I paused as well, my heart lurching for some odd reason. Stomach churning and grip tightening around my books, I carefully avoided looking at her as I attempted to speak without a nervous shake in my voice, "Oh? Should I get my mom to make those peanut butter and chocolate cookies?"

"No," she replied, but with the shift of the bed I listened as she quickly added, "Wait, let's not scratch that out. Those are amazing."

I rolled my eyes and smiled to myself as I stood up and walked my books to my dresser. Placing them down, Tayuya started again with a careful tone, "I was thinking something like... a second date."

My heart nearly reached my throat as I leaned against the dresser to keep me standing. Swallowing and keeping my back facing her, I stumbled out nervously, "Second date?"

"Joking," she quickly stated, but it was hard to believe her when she sounded as shaky as I felt, "Only teasing. I was just thinking we could go for another ride. Just us."

I was having a hard time processing what she was saying, but eventually my thoughts wandered to the night I rode her board all the way to the old movie theater. Turning around, I forced myself to speak past my nervous speechlessness, "You want me ride Lucy again? Even though I completely sucked the first time."

Tayuya's red hair shifted as she quickly looked away. With her hand working at the back of her neck as she stumbled along while looking at the bed, she answered, "If you want to ride her, sure. But, well I got Kiba to score me this board one of his friends was giving away. I figured this time we could ride together."

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. It was hard to reply normally when even she looked like a nervous wreck. Thing is, there was nothing off the wall about her suggestion, yet here we were twisting at our fingers like we actually were planning a second date. Biting my lip as nervousness squeezed the life out of me, I accused practically gasping, "Why are you making this weird!"

"Me?" Tayuya looked up with a blink. Then giving me a frown, she pointed and argued, "You're the one who got all squeaky at my joke! I'm just trying to get you to ride with me."

Huffing in frustration, I crossed my arms and stated, "If it was a joke, why are you squirming?"

"Because steps like these seem to throw you into a frenzy of nerves!" She replied as she ran her hand through her hair in frustration, "Next thing I know, you're telling me I'm stupid and declining the offer."

"You are stupid," I grumbled while looking away.

There was a short pause before I heard her sigh with a small snort, "Jeez you are a mind maze of a puzzle. Listen, I just thought it would be fun, the joke was just to tease you."

I glared at her, trying to see if she was telling the truth. Seconds later, her eyes rolled as she shook her head and looked away. I didn't have time to say anything before she started to move to get up from my bed. It was then that I noticed the small twinge of disappointment in her body features.

Biting my lip, I started slowly, "Well I wouldn't mind riding again, even though it scared me out of my mind."

I thought my words would make her stop, but she only continued to swing her legs out of bed and lean down to grab her shoes, "Don't worry about it, we don't have to."

I frowned slightly at her bland tone. Arms dropping from my chest, I pressed, "No, what? I want to."

"Nah you don't," she replied evenly as she began to tie we shoes, "But that's alright. I don't mind."

My heart hammered, confused as to why she continued to move to leave. I watched for a moment, noticing the frown at her lips. With dread, I realized I may have hurt her feelings, and had no idea how exactly I did so. In turn, I didn't know how to fix it. Stumbling to stall for time, I asked, "Where are you going?"

"I forgot Kiba wanted to smoke tonight. I've got to go." She didn't even attempt to make that sound believable as her eyes seemed set on not giving me a single glance.

Like running water I couldn't stop, I watched helplessly as she grabbed her beanie and tugged it on her head. Biting my lip, I struggled, "You can't stay a little longer?"

"Not tonight Ino, maybe some other time."

I hated the way she spoke my name, it was cold and flat with little promise. The urge to hear her teasing tone and light laugh became overwhelming. Swallowing, I desperately suggested, "Well, can you come back afterwards?"

Her sigh seemed annoyed as she pushed her bang from her face and stood up from the bed to leave, "I'll try, but it probably won't happen."

I couldn't take this, not from her. I was too used to her smiles and jokes to accept the tone she was giving me. My heart felt like it was cracking as I grew more and more desperate, "Could you try hard to, though? I didn't get much time with you tonight."

"You get me every night, Ino," she snapped in a flat tone, "Kiba pretty much has to beg for my attention now days. So I'll try, ok, but it might not happen."

That hurt. I actually felt the stab and twist of the blade as I choked back my pain. Maybe I was being sensitive, but she had to know that one would force me to bleed. She knew how I felt about taking up so much of her time, half the time she was comforting me as I guilt tripped myself. Hearing it from her was like a blow to my gut.

I swallowed again, telling myself over and over that she didn't mean it, but each second I was shutting down, emotions crashing through me like waves. I opened my mouth, wanting to stop her as she climbed out the window, but I couldn't get the words out. Silently, I watched her jump to the roof. When she turned to say more, I looked away by pure instinct and hoped my hurt wasn't obvious enough for her to stay.

I mean she was right... I did take up most of her time. I'm surprised Kiba actually bothers to smile at me now days, let alone talk to me, with what I've been doing to him.

After seconds of silence, I heard her say plainly, "I'll see you later."

I smiled to the floor and nodded mutely, praying I wouldn't need to speak; knowing if a single word left my lips I would give it all away. Thankfully she took my reply, though she stood there for a moment before finally taking her leave.

With her gone, it was like I was able to breathe, even if it felt choking with my eyes slightly stinging. I stayed silent for awhile, attempting to push back the ocean that wanted to escape. Instead I squeezed my eyes shut and stood there quietly.

After a moment or two, I merely shut my window and locked it carefully. And then with a breath, I took PaulyD, the stuffed animal Tayuya gave me, and placed it on the floor beside my bed. Then, without much thought or sound, I turned off the light and crawled into bed.

When I finally managed to sleep, there were pathetic little tears in my eyes.

XxX

It would be easier if we had argued; screamed and said some things that stung but had no true meaning. But because I had hurt her feelings, and not known how, I couldn't just go up to her and apologize. What was I supposed to apologize for, and how exactly was I supposed to say it?

It wasn't just that, though. It's hard to explain, but I felt embarrassed. What she had said, and the way she had said it, still forced my stomach to twist as I walked down that hall the next day. My cheeks would burn and my heart would wrench as her voice still shattered me raw. She never truly spoke how she felt about how much time we spent together, and to me it started to feel natural. But now that it was officially out in the open, I was nervous even having thoughts of her visiting me at night anymore.

Truthfully, maybe it was time for that to stop.

The misery I felt at school was unbearable, so much so that I didn't even bother going to lunch. Instead I found myself automatically wandering to E hall, and spent some stress free time with Sakura and her cute duck Ethan. We didn't really speak of much, I mostly watched her as she mumbled to herself while solving some equation that was in front of her. It seems that she wasn't always fun and games, sometimes she had work of her own to do. Still, she allowed me to keep her company, but after a while she casually asked if I was alright.

"Um," I started slowly, a bit caught off guard at the question. I thought I was doing a good job hiding my petty little misery, but I guess not as well as I hoped, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Hmm," Sakura hummed as she looked back at her paper, tapping her pencil against the desk as she allowed herself to fall into her own thoughts. Then, with something suddenly striking her, she quickly scribbled for a second before pulling away and giving a glance over at what she wrote. With a sigh, she looked over at me and smiled, "Well, you could just simply tell me you don't want to talk about it."

I blinked, surprised again. Taking a breath, I quickly explained, "It just isn't that important."

"I doubt it," she replied, her eyes sliding to Ethan, who was taking an afternoon nap on the desk as she worked. Her finger slipped across his head as she petted him. When he sleepily opened one eye, she gave another smile and pulled away, "I mean, it doesn't seem like there is a lot that bothers you. So, whatever it is, seems to be eating you away."

Huffing, I mumbled, "I hope I haven't been looking that hopeless all day."

"Nah," she assured with a small laugh, "But I understand if you don't want to talk about it. Just wanted to say you can vent to me if you want."

I gave a small smile and silently looked away. Normally I declined offers such as Sakura's, but she was far too sweet and innocent to outright say no. In my silence, she continued, "You know, Ethan here prides himself on his listening abilities," I smiled slightly and glanced back at her. She gave me a grin and shrugged, "He's just a great all around duck. He wouldn't mind if you vented to him either. I think he might be a better listener than me, to tell you the truth."

Humoring her, I leaned forward and gave Ethan a look. He opened his eyes like he sensed my presence and gave a sleepy blink. Then, with a little yawn, he stood up and wiggled a bit before waddling to Sakura's ready palm.

"God," I whispered as she carefully raised him to her chest, "He's so cute."

Sakura leaned forward and nudged him softly, "Hey, don't be rude. Tell her how she heart wrenchingly pretty she is."

Another smile slipped my lips as I sighed and looked away. It was strange hanging out with her, because in some ways she reminded me of Tayuya. But instead of purposely teasing me, she seemed to be earnest with all the silly things she would say. Biting my lip, I asked meekly, "How do you apologize for something when you don't know what to apologize for?"

I felt nervous for asking that much, and the pause that Sakura gave me afterwards didn't help. But, seconds later, she started carefully, "Well, Ethan says that if you know you have to apologize, you should already know what for."

I snorted, finding her reply slightly funny. Seconds later though, I admitted, "I only know I have to say sorry because the signs are a bit obvious, but the reason why isn't."

"Hmm," Sakura hummed as I fidgeted with my fingers and waited. It felt awkward speaking about a problem I was having, because I didn't do it often. Well, unless it was Tayuya, "Ethan would like to know if he can ask a question?"

I rolled my eyes and gave her a smile as I joked, "Are you his interpreter or something?"

"Yes," she replied simply with a grin.

I rolled my eyes again and waved my hand carefreely, "Alright, sure. Shoot, _Ethan._"

Staring at the table as I listened, Sakura asked softly, "Well, do you _want _to apologize?"

My eyebrows scrunched at the question, confused as to what she meant. I opened my mouth to reply that of course I wanted to, but paused before the words came out. Then, taking a moment to think honestly, I slowly replied, "Well, I want to apologize so she would talk to me again."

"Would you consider that a yes or a no? I mean, are you trying to apologize because you feel like you _have _to or do you honestly feel you've got something to apologize for and _want _to?"

I opened my mouth again, but no words came out. Chewing my lip, I gave myself a hard second to think truthfully. After a couple of seconds, I admitted, "I don't know what I did wrong. I really don't... but I do want to apologize for it. I don't feel like I _have _to, and I think if I did feel that way I wouldn't be so emotionally distraught... The thought of hurting her actually makes me slightly sick, so yes I do want to apologize for whatever I did."

"Then, Ethan thinks that if you want to apologize, you should- even if you don't know what to apologize for. The way he sees it, the apology isn't about the exact reason, but on if the person cares enough to even bother with apologizing anyway. And if you say it like you mean it, then the actual reason shouldn't be a breaking point; that's minor compared to if you're sincere."

Her voice was smooth and confident, so much so that I found myself believing her instantly. With a twist of my fingers, I mumbled out my fears, "But is that enough to get her to forgive me?"

"That's up to her to decide," Sakura replied softly, and when I glanced at her she caught my eyes with a smile and continued encouragingly, "But if it was me Ino, well, I wouldn't want you hurting for that long. I would accept it right away, because it's obvious that this whole situation is really bothering you. Only real friends care that much, so what's the point of holding onto something that is problematic and petty?"

I looked away with a smile, softly muttering, "Thanks. I guess you're right."

"Ethan doesn't mind," she waved off lightly, "He's just a lazy duck, after all."

"He seems prince like, to be honest," I laughed lightly as I gave him a glance. He tilted his head at me with his wide eyes. Smiling, I joked, "I just might be falling for him."

"Well, he's also a player," Sakura continued quickly, "He has about two girls on the side with the third close behind. Do you truly want to be the fourth?"

I laughed again, and before I could answer, the bell rang. Sighing, I stood up from my chair and grumbled, "Time to go back to freaking class. I guess I'll see you later."

"Alrighty," her bright reply slipped another smile on my lips. Before I took a step though, I stood there nervously and forced out, "Thanks again, you helped a lot."

"Ethan never minds helping a girl in need, especially if it scores him points," her grin was carefree as she looked up at me.

Rolling my eyes with another laugh, I gave them both a wave before walking out the door. Behind me, I heard Sakura say in a hushed whisper, "Well what was I supposed to do? Lie to her face? You totally are a player, and you _do _work for points."

Giggling, I shook my head and headed to class.

X

That night, despite Sakura's words, I kept my blinds shut and window locked. I reasoned to myself that it was the right thing to do, because I didn't want Tayuya to feel obligated to visit me. I'm sure it would have been easier to say that than simply hiding in my room all night, but I couldn't lie to myself that I wasn't nervous. In a way, we both won though. I'm sure she went to hang out with Kiba, and I wouldn't have to feel guilty for stealing her away for yet another night. And if she honestly wanted to talk, she had my number and could simply text me.

PaulyD still sat on my floor, I couldn't bring myself to hold him- not until I managed to make up with Tayuya. So I told myself whenever I saw her next I would gain the courage to apologize no matter what, but that was easier said than done.

The night passed and Friday rolled around, the only thing was that Tayuya was nowhere to be found. Truthfully, I didn't search hard because I was still scared, but I honestly had no idea where she could be. She wasn't at lunch, which wasn't that strange; and she wasn't under the bleachers, but I could only catch her there a third of a time anyway. She wasn't at the library either, and that's when I gave up. I figured that if I didn't see her after school, then the whole matter would just have to wait.

My friends were serious about this party, and the news had spread like fire. I didn't even get a chance to hop on the bus, instead they snatched me up in Sasuke's jeep and we went straight to Temari's place to set up shop. We stashed all the expensive breakable stuff in a room upstairs that was locked by a key. We also rolled up the rug in the main room the party would be held in, but of course people would wander and end up exploring. We also put out some cheap chairs in the backyard, and collected some wood for the bonfire we planned to light once it got pretty dark. The music was set and the little mini pool of water, ice, and beer was kept in the garage where only me and my friends could open with a special set of keys.

And, chattering excitedly, we waited for what we were born to do as popular kids: party. Crazy part is, it didn't take long. In a blink of an eye we went from sitting around in a circle, sipping on beer and talking, to an enormous crowd all around us.

To my surprise though, my friends wouldn't allow me to wander off too far. They kept me right at their side, complaining that this was their night and I couldn't run away from them till the wee hours of the morning. It became a game after a while, I would sit next to them for a bit before dipping away and dodging them until they finally cornered and snatched me away all over again.

It was fun, petty amusement that passed the time as I drank my bottle of beer and laughed along with them merrily. But in the midst of my clever escape, I bumped into a familiar face that nearly caused me to spill all my beer.

"Whoa there," a rugged voice started apologetically as he began to turn around after I bounced off his broad back, "Sorry about that, sweet heart."

Blinking, I looked up at the tall boy and gaped, "Kiba? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, little Kit Kat!" He seemed excited as he grinned and offered a hand to help me off the couch I stumbled into, "Now isn't this a surprise. I never see you at parties."

"Don't you know whose party this is?" I asked, giving a smile as I took his hand and stood up.

"Temari's, I think," he answered as he stepped back and shoved his hands in his pocket.

"Yeah, well she's also one of my good friends," I explained, waving my hand that was now soaked with beer, "In other words, I had to come. But I'm glad I did, it's pretty fun so far. Anyway, what are you doing here!? I didn't know you liked to party."

"Kitten, my middle name is party," he replied lamely, causing my eyes to roll. He chuckled at my reaction and admitted, "Alright, I'm lying. But hell yeah I like a good party! Want to say hi to the gang?"

"Sure!" I answered excitedly, wondering if Kankuro had managed to make it as well. Out of Kiba and Tayuya, he had to be my third favorite out of their whole group.

My heart sunk as I suddenly became aware of the possibility of meeting Tayuya here. A cold chill ran down my neck as I nervously peaked over Kiba, wondering if she had honestly managed to make it. As I followed silently, I wracked my brain for conversations I've had with her about parties. I never considered her as the partying type, but now that I've seen Kiba here, I doubted there was a chance she _wasn't _here as well.

All too soon, I made it to the backyard, which was apparently where the gang was hanging out. Near the back, under a tree, they all stood around smoking. I frowned slightly, but Kiba caught it with a grin. Nudging me, he assured, "No worries. I'll force them to stomp it out. We have plenty tonight anyway."

I smiled in thanks as we finally made it to the group. When they saw me, their faces lit up. Without a second thought, they stopped their smoking and crowded me to say hello.

"Well if it isn't Lil'Kat," Kankuro teased as he came over, snatching me up to give me a hug. I giggled, not surprised by the warm welcome. Kankuro was the most affectionate of the group. Him and Kiba practically gave me random hugs all the time.

"Put me down, sir!" I laughed, patting at his chest as he obeyed and stepped away. Giving a smile to his cheerful grin, I continued, "Hello there, Kankuro."

"What brings you here, Ino?" Shikamaru asked warmly, a light smile on his features as he stuck the rest of their joint in his pocket.

"It's my friend's party," I answered with a shrug, "So I figured I would make this one. I should be asking what brings _you guys_ here! Since when do skaters party? I thought they liked the mellow atmosphere."

Even though I was speaking nonchalantly, my eyes wandered around nervously. They all seemed to be here, all except Tayuya. With mild relief, I slid my eyes back to Gara, who had taken the time to walk over as well, "It's the only way these losers can score some girls. I suggested a night ride, but these idiots are getting desperate."

I laughed as Kiba huffed and knocked Gara on the head, "Hey shut up, just because you have a steady girl doesn't mean we do! Damn right I'm getting desperate, seeing as you never shut up about yours."

Gara didn't seemed affected at Kiba's outburst as he silently rolled his eyes. Kankuro laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck, "We seriously just wanted to chill out with some drinks and chicks, that's all. Seems to be a dud though, so we ended up standing back here while we smoked. We'll probably be heading out in the few."

"Aww, why not just stay!" I asked, pushing at his shoulder with a pout, "It'll be way more fun with you guys around, well, that's if I can see you. I'm sure Tenten is coming to snatch me up soon."

"Haha, they keeping you on a leash tonight?" Kiba asked in amusement.

"Yessss," I huffed with a roll of my eyes, "They seem to think I don't give them enough attention, so tonight they are making it a point to keep me in their sights. For some reason, they think I'm going to jet home, or something. Like I can walk that far!"

Kiba laughed some more as Kankuro offered, "We could give you a lift. Well, scratch that, Shikamaru could give you a lift. He's the only one who didn't board here."

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind," Shikamaru chipped in with a shrug.

"No it's ok," I replied with a smile, "But thanks, you guys are the best."

"You know, Tayuya was just here," Kankuro started as his eyes began to wander, "I wonder where she ran off to. She'll be pissed if she misses a chance to see you."

My heart sunk as I opened my mouth to dismiss the idea, but Gara managed to speak before me, "I think she went to go grab us some more 'materials' from her place. She left a bit ago, but I think she should be back soon."

"Oh, well that's ok," I began hastily, waving my hands around as I gave a shaky smile, "I can always catch her later, no rush."

"You sure?" Shikamaru asked with a small frown, "Aren't you guys like, bestest of friends?"

"I sure as hell hope so," Kankuro said with a roll of his eyes, "As much as the girl talks about you. And then the fact that she skips half of our skating sessions just to hang out-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence before Kiba punched him hard on the arm. He yelped, giving Kiba a glare, but Kiba only glared back, "Shut the fuck up, idiot. We don't care that she skips anything_, isn't that righ_t?"

The last bit of Kiba's sentence was bitten off and forceful. Kankuro opened his mouth to argue furiously, but then just as quickly stopped himself. Blinking, his eyes widened as he stumbled out, "Oh yeah! Right! No, we don't care at all! We totally understand."

"Nice job moron," Gara mumbled with another roll of his eyes.

Kankuro offered me a meek smile as I slumped and realized that they must heard about the other night. Before it could get anymore awkward, my arm was hooked with huge bump at my hip. I stumbled to the left, catching myself briefly afterwards as my knight in shining armor came to save the day, "Oh come on Ino. Did you even _try _to get away this time around? With the skaters, really? Like that wouldn't be the first place I would look."

A breath of relief escaped me as I gave Tenten a smile, "Maybe I was just saying hello, you freak. Who said I was running away?"

"Sureeeee," Tenten replied with a giggle. Then, giving the guys a sweet smile, she announced, "I'm sorry boys, but I'm taking this one away from you."

"Looks like they found you," Gara joked with a chuckle.

"Looks like it," I laughed.

"Come onnnnn, the others are waiting!" Tenten whined as she began to tug again, "We were just about to play truth or dare."

"Oh lovely," I sighed, "Like I really want to be apart of that."

"You bet your ass you do," Tenten replied with a huff, "Now move it, it's your turn."

I rolled my eyes before turning to the others with an apologetic smile, "I guess I'll see you guys later."

"Sure thing, lil'kat," Kankuro nodded with a grin.

"Gross is that what they call you?" Tenten asked as she dragged me away with another giggle.

I bumped her shoulder as I replied proudly, "Yes, and I don't mind it one bit, so don't hate."

She continued to laugh, all the while pulling me towards my prison for the night. But before we could get far, I felt a tug at my wrist. Turning around in interest, I saw that Kiba had jogged to catch back up with us. He didn't look as carefree as before, actually he seemed to be a bit unsteady. With a small frown, I asked, "What's up?"

Just as he was opening his mouth to speak, he stopped. His eyes wandered to Tenten briefly, and I instantly got the message. Turning to Tenten as well, I smiled and suggested, "Why don't you go on ahead and I'll meet you there," Tenten gave me a look, but I pressed, "No tricks. I'll be right there after this."

"Alllright," she drawled, but then narrowed her eyes and poked at my chest, "Don't you make me come looking for you again. This time, I'll send Temari. She doesn't mess around."

Laughing, I promised that I wouldn't and watched as she shrugged and walked off, not before giving Kiba a strange look as well. As soon as she was out of earshot, I turned back to Kiba and smiled, "She's seriously crazy. Anyway, did you want something?"

Kiba began to rub the back of his neck as he started slowly, "It's about the other night. Don't blame Tayuya, but we kinda forced her to tell us what was up. She was acting pretty moody, so we were just trying to get her to talk."

I gave a soft smile as I sighed, "Well that's alright. I don't really mind-"

"Yeah well, I kinda do about some of the things she said," he cut in with a frown, "I just wanted to clear the air, because once she told me I kinda lost it myself," slipping his hand from his neck and allowing it to fall to his side, he looked me in the eyes and stated sincerely, "Ino, seriously, I don't care that you spend so much time with her, I never did. What she said was dumb and off the wall, because me and the gang honestly do understand. That, and we don't mind because it's **you **she's ditching us for. It's because of you we honestly don't give a shit. You're really awesome, and we love when you are around. So don't let that idiot make you think we hate you or something. I don't know what her problem was, but I wanted to make sure that was clear."

Warmth spread my heart and settled in my tummy. My smile tugged even more as I replied, "You know, that means a lot. I was worried, for a second I felt like you would hold a grudge against me for all the times I snatched her away, but I should have known better. Thanks Kiba."

He smiled, looking a bit relieved, "No problem, kitten."

Sighing, I rubbed my elbow absent mindedly and asked, "Um, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure," his grin was wide as he answered brightly, "Anything."

"Tayuya," I started, a bit slow, "If you could... kinda skip that I'm here tonight. That would be great."

Grin falling slowly, his eyebrows scrunched with a tugging frown. Surprisingly enough, he didn't press or ask me why. Instead, he mumbled, "She must have really fucked up, huh?"

"No that isn't it," I quickly corrected, heart beating steadily as I attempted to keep calm. I'm not sure why the idea to keep me being here a secret popped in my head, but I felt more comfortable if she didn't know I was here. Maybe it was because I didn't want her to feel obligated to come find me, "It's just... I'm sure she has better things to do, plus I'm hanging with my friends tonight anyway. I'd hate for her to get the wrong idea or something."

"Mm," he hummed out before sighing and scratching the back of his neck, "Alright, if that's what you want... But, as her best friend, I'd have to say she would be ecstatic to know you were here... And she'd come rushing to find you no matter what."

That made me feel even worse. Before I could be swallowed by anymore guilt, Kiba gave another shrug before dropping his hand and shoving it in his pocket, "Oh well I guess. See you around, Ino."

I mumbled out goodbye and simply stood there as I watched him leave. There was a frown at my lips, and it's pull was everlasting as my eyes wandered to the rest of the party. I wonder why I was forcing myself to be miserable, because even I had to admit that none of this made me feel any better. But it was true, I honestly didn't want her to know I was here. Seeing her here now, after everything, would just make it even more awkward than it already would be.

With another sigh, I turned and went to find my friends. As I weaved through the crowd, I told myself that I should just try to push past everything that was weighing me down, because if there was even an ounce of sadness in my features, I wouldn't hear the end of it from Tenten, Temari, or any of those idiots.

So when I reached them, I plastered a smile on my face. And to be sure I wouldn't fall into my petty pit of misery, I chugged my beers and drowned myself with the pointless games we were playing. After a while, my smiles weren't so fake. Actually, I began to laugh truthfully with all of them, finding everything they said and did to be extremely funny. And all at once, I remembered why I was friends with these morons anyway.

X

The music seemed to be never ending. The thump of the bass beat against constantly, practically vibrating my skin. Sasuke and Naruto took their turns dancing with me, tricking me into a dare when I refused their offer. I was really self conscious, which was why I declined the first time. But once they forced me into it, I found myself having more fun. Wiggling like an idiot didn't seem as nerve wrecking, and twirling in circles made the room spin in the most appealing way.

Eventually it was Sasuke's turn again. He tugged me along with a smirk, spinning me in his arms. I giggled as I stumbled into him, hitting his chest as I commented how much of a jerk he was.

"Hey, you seem enjoying yourself," he argued with a shrug, "I'm just making sure I keep that up for the rest of the night."

"Ever thought I would have more fun drinking and sitting on the sidelines?" I asked with a roll of my eyes.

"Nah, that sounds like a mood killer anyway," he replied with his hands slipping to my waist as he tugged me against him. I laughed as I lazily wrapped my arms around his neck, giving him a happy little smile. Smirking back, he pulled me closer and leaned down to speak over the loud music, "So what's been up Ino? I feel like it's been awhile since we've had fun."

"Stuff," I replied with a small shrug and a teasing smile, "Nothing really important. What about you?"

"Senior year struggles," he huffed out as we moved against each other, "It's been a bitch of a year, to be honest."

"Grades?" I asked simply.

"Teacher, college, tests. Everything is just wearing me out."

Then, twirling in his arms, I pressed my back against him and danced as I answered, "It sounds like you are the one who needs this party."

His chuckle rumbled deep within his chest as he leaned down and mumbled in my ear, "Maybe. But without you here, I doubt it would be any fun."

I wiggled away, his breath tickling me, and twirled back around while giving him a smile. His smirk was a bit wider as he pulled me back into him. Wrapping my arms back around his neck, I teased, "Well maybe I can make more parties than I was able to come to during the summer. Honestly this night has been a blast."

"That would be awesome, we've seriously been missing your ass around here" his grin forced me to believe that he was telling the truth, "Tenten hasn't had this much fun in a while. She doesn't really drink anymore, but she did tonight because you were here."

I bit my lip and admitted, "I've missed you guys too."

"Then hang out with us!" His dark blue hair shifted as he leaned forward and bumped his forehead against mine softly, "It's been a total bummer losing you to those skater kids. And then they taunt us by taking you away at lunch. What assholes."

I laughed and argued, "I'm not always over there. Sometimes I'm with my other friend, Sakura."

"Who caressss," he huffed, tugging me against him and leaning closer, "Just ditch them for a couple of days, like you've done us, so we can have some real fun again. It doesn't need to be all the time- but come on, we are crumbling around here with amazing Ino around."

My eyes rolled as I smiled softly and promised, "Alright, I'll try to hang out with you guys more."

His smile was bright, as if he accomplished something, but before we could get any further into dancing or talking, the song changed. Right on cue, Tenten bounced over and took my arm. Giggling, obviously a bit tipsy, she rushed, "Okay okay, it's _totally_ my turn to dance with sexy Ino."

"But it was my turn," Naruto whined as he came up to us.

"Nu uh, it's mine, " Tenten argued as she stuck out her tongue, "Plus, she doesn't want to dance with any of _you._ We all know, I'm her favorite."

I laughed as they started a small argument, rolling my eyes to Temari, who had walked over as well. Then, with a pout, I begged her to save me with my puppy dog eyes. Catching it right away, she wrapped her arms around me and cut into the fighting pair, "Sorry, you guys are both wrong. It's my turn with Ino."

"Lameeeee," Naruto whined, but not arguing any further because he knew better than going against Temari. Waving us off, he huffed, "Whatever, I guess I'll go grab more drinks."

"Are we almost out yet?" Sasuke asked, falling in step with Naruto to go help. Before he left, he turned around and winked at me. Giggling, I watched them both leave.

"This is unfair Temari," Tenten whined, giving a pout, "I haven't gotten to dance with Ino yet."

"Tenten, go home, you're drunk," Temari joked before poking at her sides, "Why don't you help grab me three more beers, two for me, one for Ino, and we can play another game."

"Fineeeeee," Tenten huffed before turning and sulking away.

"Thanks," I told Temari with smile, who merely shrugged with a grin and a push to my shoulder, "No prob, miss Queen. You just owe me a kiss later."

I giggled as she walked away, calling after her, "Only on the cheek!"

She waved me off as I gave another laugh. With a sigh, I glanced around before slipping away in the crowd. I figured I had about 10 minutes until they sent Naruto or Tenten to find me, so I wanted to allow myself a moment of silence before I was dragged back towards the thumping music.

As I ventured through the huge house, weaving through everyone as I mumbled excuse me, I found myself practically getting lost. I was shorter than most kids, so I could only see so much before people's shoulder blocked my view. Without me even wanting to, I managed to find myself in the middle of the whole party. It was like _everyone _was hanging out in this _one _room.

Some of the kids I bumped into grinned and said hey. Some even asked me to dance, but I declined with a smile and a wiggle of my fingers. I knew I was popular, but it always surprised me when people I didn't even know knew my name. It was awkward trying to skip around while politely saying no, but what was even more awkward was having my eyes land on the one person I honestly didn't want to see tonight.

Tayuya…

She was across the room, hat tugged backwards with an easy grin on her face. Her eyes were low and smooth, and even at this distance I could tell she was high. What caught me even more off guard is that there was a beer in her hand as she leaned against the wall.

By herself.

I found myself stopping dead in my tracks, not knowing what to do. My mind reeled, questions firing away in my head. How long has she been here? And did I managed to hide myself successfully before now? Could she see me from where I was standing, and why did she have a beer if she didn't like drinking much?

Where was Kiba? Why wasn't she with the skaters outside? They said she went to go get some more weed, doesn't that mean she should be smoking with them all night?

Her eyes wandered, and with a drop of my heart I took a step back, hoping to drown myself in the crowd again, but also straining to keep eyes on her. I ended up bumping into someone, but in fear of losing sight on her, I mumbled my apologies towards the direction I was staring and dipped towards the side.

God I was spying on her. What the hell was wrong with me.

My stomach twisted as I wondered if I should go up to her and say hello. But just as the thought came to mind, my heart squeezed as I reminded myself of the situation we were in right now. We had just had a fight, and a party wasn't the best place to make up at. Plus, I was nervous; There was no way I could force myself to go up to her unless she caught me eyes.

So, deep down under my confusion and scared being, I wanted her eyes to wander over to mine. I practically started and willed them to, but after a moment, I realized they were focus on something different.

That's when, seemingly out of nowhere, a girl came walking over with a small smile. And with a grin tossed from Tayuya, the same grin she always tossed me, she handed the random girl the beer in her hand. The girl smiled even more in almost a flirting type of way, and took it with her lips moving but I couldn't catch what she was saying. After a moment, the random girl laughed and pushed Tayuya's shoulder jokingly, leaving Tayuya stumbling back with a small laugh as well.

I stared at them, confused. And after a second, a feeling twisted inside of me, one that left me feeling incredibly angry for some reason. With the set of my jaw, I swallowed and looked away. Seconds later, I pushed past the crowd, now wishing I never came to this dumb party in the first place.

* * *

(1) - _List of songs used for this chapter :_ Jaymes Young- Moondust ; Dillion Francis ft T.E.E.D- Without You ; London Grammer - Wasting my young years ; Besu - Jaded (Ft Iain Mannix)(Fort Road Remix) ; Jinx Mcgee ft Sarah Stricklin & Domini - Home ; Arty ft Fiora - Grand Finale.

**Oh my god wut? Oh my god I updated? OH MY GAWD WUT?**

**I missed you silly little people. I hope you have missed me. Let me do a quick update on my life: Move is going good. Life is going alright. Currently trying to get into the navy. Taking a test Tuesday. I've been busy. I appreciate oatmeal. Sword Art Online is stabbing me in every feels I have. Fairtale is avaiable on netflix. One day I had to scratch my nose, and I literally risked my life to do it- I had plates in my hand (LIKE FIVE) and I was in the middle of busy traffic.**

**Ok, so it was an abonded streeet... I think I spelled tht word wrong. Yeah... yeah you know which one. DON'T CARE. I'M TERRIBAD AT SPELLING. FIGHT ME.**

**ANYWAY NO SERIOUSLY I'VE MISSED YOU. I hope you guys have been able to survive. Get ready, it's going to be rough for the both of us.**

**But i'm in it to win it, if you are.**

**You. Cute thang right thurr. The one with the dorkswagg goo. Um. Go ahead and review so I can give you a sloppy wet E-kiss.**

**Those are real, by the by. **

**Just so you know.**

**Our love is real.**

**Shycadet loves. Out. **


	17. Stress all around

**A/N - **Rapid fire chapter shots to yo face.

It's super effective!

Oh no, the fans have used full restore!

That's when you punch your gameboy in the face and scream "HACKS"

Ah, my life. I don't get to win evah. Let's do this.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

The faces that swimmed around me made me pretty frustrated. I was pissed that no one had the decency to move a step to the left when I attempted continuously to squeeze past all of them. It's like they wanted to delay me from getting as far as I could from Tayuya and her _stupid _grin that she seemed to toss around to _everyone _with legs.

So there was that. Just me being extremely pissed off and people doing nothing to help the situation.

Eventually I managed to get out of the room, but to my absolute displeasure, I only seemed to get further into the party; Louder music, more faces, cheering laughs, and spilling drinks. This scene didn't have an ending, and I was trying so desperately to find one.

I'm not sure how long it took me to weave through enough people and rooms to find a secluded area, but when I did I had the _absolute _pleasure to not be alone. Great. Just wonderful. But I guess I couldn't complain too much. While the whole house seemed to be filled with people, this room had a total of ten. They were mostly couples, people hooking up, but it was quieter here, and that's what mattered the most.

Taking a breath, I walked over to a free couch and sat down feeling completely exhausted. Head still reeling, I attempted to push the creeping thoughts from the front of my mind by grabbing my phone and checking the messages I doubted I had. To my surprise, I did have one. It was from Tenten, and her words practically slurred on the screen as I imagined her giggling as she teased "_m comin to get u!"_

Unfortunately for me, I realized that tonight wasn't a night I could get stuck in my raging feelings. I had people to entertain, memories to make, beer to drink; there was no time for me to be alone. Still, I shoved my phone back into my pocket and hoped that I could disappear long enough to get myself situated. But, nope, I couldn't have that much.

Tonight just wanted to shit on me more and more.

To my disbelief, it seemed someone even recognized me _here. _I huffed when they called out my name, ready to snap that I wasn't exactly in a talkative mood, but I stopped my sentence in its track when I saw a boyish smile from Kankuro as he was walking up.

"Hey lil'kat, I knew that was you over here sitting alone! I see you've made one of your many escapes from your friends," He joked with a grin as he sat next to me and bumped his shoulder into mine.

I guess if it was anyone else, I would attempt to get them to leave, but Kankuro wasn't just any guy. His smiles were much too loose and natural for me to turn down his company. Already I felt a tad better, even though seconds ago I wanted some peace. With a small smile on my face, I nodded and sighed out, "Yup. Managed to scramble away when they were getting drinks. What are you up to?"

His shrugged forced the faint scent of smoke to linger towards my senses. Hanging with Tayuya got me used to it, so I could always tell when I smelled it that someone had smoked recently. Still, he seemed to be acting normal. Even his eyes were open regular, it was just that there was a smile constantly on his face, no matter how small, "The gang disbursed for the night, well I think anyway. Kiba was pulled off by some girl, Shikamaru managed to find some girls who wanted to smoke, Gaara went to his girl's place, and Tayuya kinda ditched us the moment she dropped off the weed. It's been pretty boring to be honest."

"Oh," I mumbled, swallowing the lump in my throat as I stumbled, "Well, you don't need them to have fun."

"Damn right," he agreed with a laugh, "I just smoked on my own and came into the house to chill. Which, by the way, I'm surprised that Tayuya isn't with you. I could have sworn she might have gotten whiff that you were here and that's why she darted off. I wonder where she's at."

"Um," I started carefully, hoping not to give anything away, "I think I saw her with some girl, so maybe she's hanging out with a friend."

"Whaa? Some girl?" He asked confused with a small frown on his face. All too soon though, he leaned back against the couch and shrugged as he laid his head back with a heavy sigh, "Well, I don't know any other girl she hangs out with besides you. News to me."

I smiled slightly, a bit grateful that he was so oblivious that he didn't seem to catch any of my failed attempts to act normal. With a sigh, I leaned back against the couch as well, bringing up my legs to get comfortable as I asked softly, "So do you have any girls Kankuro?"

"Nah, I'm like the very opposite of a chick magnet," lightly tossing me a smile as he shifted his eyes towards me, he continued to admit, "I've always had a problem picking up chicks. But it's like, Kiba and the rest of the gang have no problems! I mean, even Tayuya seemed to catch you somehow, hottest chick in school."

My blush was furious as I stuttered out, "We're just friends."

"Same difference," he brushed off with a laugh as he shifted to go back staring at the ceiling, "I mean I can't catch a girlfriend, and I can't catch a girl to be my friend. So it's like, fails all around."

"Well, you seem to be a charmer to me," I encouraged with a smile as I slowly calmed down.

"Aww, ya' mean that?" He asked, a silly little grin on his face. Then, snatching me from my spot and pulling me into his chest, he teased, "Well why don't ya be my girlfriend?"

"Ewww gross," I giggled, wiggling against him.

His laugh was loud, causing some stirs in the room. We got some angry glares, but Kankuro didn't care, so neither did I, "Well there goes my man card. You just snatched it from me and threw it in the mud."

I laughed along, and settled for resting against his chest as he arm wrapped around my shoulder. With a sigh, I mumbled, "Girls are stupid, Kuro, and so are boys. Relationships are stupid too, so what's the point of it all?"

"Mm," he hummed peacefully, and I had a feeling he had closed his eyes as we cuddled together on the couch, "Strongly agree. So I guess we're saying screw life and it's rules to finding happiness in getting boyfriends and girlfriends, huh?"

"Yes," I replied simply, closing my eyes as well, "Absolutely."

"Wanna be my girl friend?" He asked again casually.

"No way," I shut down without a thought.

His laugh was light as he corrected, "I meant my friend as a girl. Nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Nah, actually it would be refreshing to have a two legged being that wasn't trying to get into my pants," I answered with a small smile.

"That's the spirit," he chuckled out peacefully, and then seconds later he was knocked out.

My mind wandered as I laid against him, his warmth and size similar to a bear. I enjoyed it, and the possibility of having an actual guy friend besides my close friends of 7 years. My thoughts stepped on the memory of Tayuya and her telling me how Kiba and her always fell asleep together cuddling. I had to admit to be this close to someone without any moves being made was comforting, soothing even.

So with a smile, I simply allowed him to sleep as I laid there with him.

Time trickled by, as well as the couples who slipped away to either find a more private environment or to go back to party. Soon we were all alone, and I spent my time amusing myself by thinking of Tenten's bewildered face when she searched the whole house up and down and still hadn't found me. I even giggled, but I had to admit that was probably because of the beer tonight.

My eyes wandered to Kankuro's fingers, and I idly traced against his skin. Seconds later though, to my surprise, they twitched and moved to snatch mine in his. He twisted his fingers into mine and tugged me close as he sighed and shifted a bit. I laughed softly, guessing it was probably too soon to assume that he was completely asleep.

And that was my world, for about a soothing ten minutes. It was nice, honestly it was, but even I felt like it wasn't going to last. Then, right on cue, the door in the quiet room opened and rays of bright light came pouring in.

That's the moment I saw the very person I _didn't _want to see for the second time of the night.

Tayuya stood there, eyes adjusting slowly. But as soon as they had, her eyes seemed to land on me instantly, and along with the recognition came a deep frown.

Seconds later she moved to leave, without a word spoken to me. My heart twisted, but I didn't move to stop her. Actually, I was anxiously awaiting for her to go so I could miserably hold on to Kankuro for the rest of the night. But, it seemed that the oblivious boy beside me had different plans entirely. Smoothly standing up, towering over me, he gave a small stretch before moving to walk towards the door. Dreading his departure, I accidently reached for his hand, grabbing it in time to stop him but also receive a very deep from from Tayuya as her eyes darted towards the contact.

His eyes turned towards mine, and he gave me a small encouraging smile before carefully pulling away from my grip and continuing to move towards the door. The light from outside kind of blurred my vision of Tayuya, but Kankuro seemed to see her fine. With the snatch of her hat, he pushed it into her chest and mumbled something nonchalantly that I don't think I was supposed to hear, "Wipe that stupid look off your face, idiot, nothing happened. Now stop being a pussy, and go talk to her."

Then, without waiting for any sort of retort, he waved to me as he walked off and called, "See you around, lil Kat."

After that, we were alone.

God it was the most awkward thing to happen in my life, being stuck with her alone after everything that has happened. I literally felt a part of me shrivel up and die as I wrecked my mind to come up with any excuse to get out of here. But I was drawing a complete blank, I was far too nervous to think up of anything.

As the seconds started to stack, I found myself practically choking in the silence. Soon I wasn't able to take it anymore, so I stood up quickly and rushed out, "I have to go find my friends. I'll see you later."

I moved to push past her, but of course she didn't let me. Of course she grabbed my wrist and of course she pulled me back to turn around. I was sick of everything, it was starting to get frustrating. Why couldn't anything work out, why couldn't I just have a hole to hide in for just a fucking hour?!

But no. No I had to be standing there, with her fingers wrapped around my wrist lightly as she simply _breathed, _not saying a word. Growing annoyed, I snapped, "Is there something you wanted?"

I attempted to avoid her eyes, but the frown in her voice was too hard to ignore, "Come on, Ino. Don't be so harsh."

I gave a frown of my own and argued, "Then just spit it out so it doesn't have to be so fucking nerve wrecking."

"So I'm guessing someone pissed in your cheerios this morning?" She snapped back in a cold voice.

Having reach my limit, I snatched my hand from her grip and replied evenly, "Sure, let's say I've had a bad day. So let me go drink so I can pass the hell out somewhere and not have to deal with it anymore, kay?"

I turned to leave again, but she stopped me all over again. This time her arm snaked around my waist, and reaching over me, she shut the door. I was just about to shout my displeasure of her being an absolute brat, but her voice shifted to sincere, "Alright, ok. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be poking your buttons."

"I'm glad you understand that," I huffed while pulling away from her, but not aiming to leave anymore. With my arms crossing, I asked once more, "Seriously, what do you want?"

Her frown was small and hard to see in the darkness around us. Carefully, she asked, "Why are you giving me the cold shoulder?"

I rolled my eyes and pressed, "No Tayuya, honestly, just get to the point. I already don't want to be here, so just me standing here breathing should be enough. If you don't have anything to say, then I'm going to go find my friends and actually attempt to enjoy the rest of my night."

Pressing past my rudeness, she explained, "It's because you're not with your friends that I'm even here right now. Tenten found me and asked where you were, I didn't even know you were here. Then, she continues to tell me that you were hanging out with everyone else earlier tonight. And you know what happened after I joined the search to find you? I bump into Kiba and asked why the hell he didn't mention you were around tonight. He didn't say shit but my bad and walked off. I have a feeling you were apart of all of it."

I sighed annoyed and looked away as she continued.

"Then I check this room, and you're chilling with Kankuro. Just… what the hell? Are you avoiding me or something, did you even ask if I was here tonight?"

"Is it my job to check where you are constantly?" I asked with a sneer, "Is that what I'm _supposed _to be doing?"

"I…" She started, but her sentence fell flat. Taking a breath, she tugged at her hat and mumbled, "Just… I don't know. I figured we were pretty good friends… I figured you would at least attempt to find me. I mean… if I would have known earlier, I would have went through hell to find you."

It was when her voice dropped into meek and small that I realized how much of a bitch I was being. I wasn't trying to be mean, it wasn't my goal to make her feel like shit because I didn't find any of this satisfying. I was just, tired of the last couple of days being complete crap, and the only reason they were was because I honestly did miss Tayuya, but was too angry and hurt to admit it.

A sigh slipped my lips as I turned away from her. Trying to push past everything that was crashing through me, I said in flat tone, "I did ask about you to see if you were here, but I figured it would be for the best not to talk tonight."

"What? Why?" She asked in confusion, frown in her voice.

Sighing again, I explained, "Because we don't need to hang out everyday, I thought maybe it would be better if you just did your own thing."

"I mean, sure we don't need to hang out everyday, but I sure as hell want to," she replied with her eyes steadily on me, I could feel the prickling on my skin as she stared.

Biting my lip, I said, "Maybe we shouldn't."

"Why?" She pressed simply with absolute confusion, "I mean, what? You have school work? I'm keeping you up? You're finally tired of seeing my dork face?"

"Doesn't matter," I muttered, not having the energy to even begin getting into it.

"It does, " she argued, "I mean, I think it does. What the hell else am I supposed to do at night if I'm not with you?"

"Hang out with Kiba," I answered with a grumble as a bit of my spite slipped out.

"Kiba?" She repeated slowly, still confused, but a second later her whole tone changed as she repeated again, "Kiba! No. No fuck Kiba, he doesn't need the attention, I was lying."

"Sure," I sighed, "Whatever. Ok I get it, are we done here?"

"No." She answered simply, "Come on, Ino. I- God I know I was a complete asshole that night, but I didn't mean any of it. I was just being a jerk, I shouldn't have said that to you."

"It's ok," I pressed, too embarrassed to go further into the conversation, "It doesn't matter."

"Would you quit saying that," her red hair shifted as she begged in frustration, "It does matter-"

Before she could say anything else, the door behind us opened again. I turned around, wondering who else wanted to shit on my night. To my slight surprise, it was Sasuke. His eyes slid to mine, and with a grin, he spoke, "There you are girl, we've been looking for you. Shit, this hiding spot was legit. Tenten gave up and sent me out instead."

I opened my mouth, not knowing what to say. Seconds later, he finally noticed there was another person in the room. With a blink, he squinted, not sure of who it was. With a clear of my throat, I attempted to speak steadily, "Hey, uh. This is Tayuya, I was just talking to her for a bit."

"Oh," he answered with a small frown. But then, as if he suddenly remembered his manners, he stepped forward and offered his hand, "Hey, my name is Sasuke."

"Uh, nice to meet you," Tayuya replied awkwardly as she shook his hand. Her eyes wandered to mine, but I quickly avoided them.

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Sasuke started carefully, "Well, uh, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm kinda stealing Ino away now."

Crap. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. I went through lengths to avoid her for _this _very reason. With a stumble in my sentence, I explained to Tayuya's deep noticeable frown, "Uh, remember when I said that this weekend I would be busy. Well, yeah, this is the reason why."

Her eyes flicked back to Sasuke, and he looked back at her curiously, his eyes steady. Realizing how my sentence must have be interrupted, I quickly continued to explain, "The party, it's Temari's. She really wanted me to come, so I'm supposed to be hanging out with my friends tonight. So, yeah…"

"Hmm," Tayuya hummed with her eyes turning intense as she continued to look at Sasuke. Then, she asked evenly, "Can't you spare a minute or two?"

Sasuke mouth turned up into a small smirk, "Sorry, but we've already spared about 20. I'm sure whatever it is, it isn't that important."

Yup. Yup this was turning into a complete disaster. Quickly coming between them, I faced Sasuke and smiled, "Don't be so rude."

He laughed as he ran his hand through his hair, "Come on Ino. It's supposed to be our night, remember. That means no ditching us."

I rolled my eyes with a breath. He was right, and I think he could tell that if he left me alone with Tayuya that I wouldn't be returning to the group any time soon. He might not have known her name, but I know he had to recognize her face. Without a doubt, his mind must have registered that this was the very girl who had been stealing me away since the very beginning.

With another sigh, I turned to Tayuya and offered her a smile. She didn't return it, so I cringed a little when I informed, "Sorry, I really have to go. But… we can talk later, ok?"

Her smile was humorless as she laughed and shook her head. With a shrug, she past us both and answered, "Yeah sure, whatever Ino."

When she was gone, I let go of my held breath. With a glare at Sasuke, I punched him in the ribs. He laughed, walking me out as we closed the door behind us.

"I can't believe you," I fumed with a glare, "How much of a jerk can you be?"

"Oh come on," he offered as he tried to kill down his laughter, "You can't tell me Temari, Naruto, or even Tenten wouldn't have done the same thing? I had orders to bring you back. Do you know how pissed they would be if they found out you were going to ditch us again."

"I wouldn't have!" I argued as we walked back to the group, "I would have made it there!"

"No you wouldn't have," he replied with a roll of his eyes, "Come on, you don't think we know who she is? We wouldn't have seen you for the rest of the night, and that's a total no go. Temari would have been hurt, and it's her night. It's our night. One night without that girl isn't going to kill you."

"Are you jealous?" I asked with a bite in my tone.

"Babe, we all are. Why do you think we're trying so hard to keep your attention?"

I stayed silent, but all he did was shrug and we continued to find the group. When I got there, Temari beamed and handed me the beer she had been keeping for me. Tenten giggled and laughed, telling me how she made Naruto take five shots in the row. Sasuke sat right down beside them all in silence, probably understanding that I was a bit pissed with him.

Still, as the night went on I drank and started to have a good time again. It was nice not having to deal with problems, so it wasn't hard to push all my troubling thoughts to the background. Eventually, I found myself on Sasuke's lap as we played our silly little games, laughing away.

He was rude, and he was a jerk, but for only one purpose and I could overlook that. I knew that, if it wasn't under the circumstances of tonight, he wouldn't have done any of it, because that wasn't the type of guy he was. So I forgave him, but not without a couple of punches to the ribs throughout the night.

I saw Tayuya a couple of times that night. All with that girl that I had no clue who she was. I attempted to push past it, but it practically impossible. I was growing frustrated seeing her face continuously with Tayuya.

That night ended with us all pretty drunk and passing out. Then, that next afternoon we got up and cleaned up all the mess. Sunday rolled around and we went to catch a movie. After that, they dropped me off and I passed out on my bed, to exhausted by the weekend to even bother to see if Tayuya was coming to visit that night.

And so, Monday rolled back around with no problems. Because even though I was having a shitty week, time didn't stop for any reason at all.

* * *

(1) No songs used cuz I'm too busy flipping out.

**No seriously. I've been complaining to my friends that I'm worried about this stupid test. I hate test. Why do they exist?! I mean, I walk into a job interview and they'd be all like, "Well I see you've had some great schooling, but tell me... what can you offer this job?"**

**Me: "Test... I can do tests. I was like. Testing since 12 years ago... So... Tests. Yeah. Just tests"**

**FUCK YOU TESTS. I DON'T NEED YOU. If you don't start treating me right, I'mma walk right outta that door!**

**Kay. I'm done being a dork. So. Heres some nutrience for your face with my latest chapter. I think I spelled that wrong. Why can't this stupid site offer me spell check. Oh wait. Wait theres a button! OMG SINCE WHEN?! WHAT THE HELL. It just like. Pointed out all my mistakes to my face.**

**"Hey Shy, this is you. And this is everything you do wrong with your life and your writing."**

**I'm so done with you FanFiction. Fight me bruh. Five aclock.**

**Wish me luck on this test. Its the ASVAB. I heard it's easy. But oh god I've been flipping out. Can you tell by the way I ramble?**

**OH, the word I spelled wrong btw was nutrience. I spelled it nutrant. LMFAO. LIKE COME ON. The ablity to spell was skipped over me when that old powerful person started to give me all these other cool things.**

**"You'll be funneh, a dork, and you'll smile easy. But spelling? Yeah go ahead anf all on your face with that."**

**THANKS BRO. Thanks so much.**

**READ REVIEW.**

**Shycadet loves. Out.**


	18. All the science students

**A/N - **So I passed. Are you guys even surprised? I think I was the only one freaking out about it.

WHATEVAH, I HAD A REASON TO. Tests are scary. So scary. Like yo face.

Jk. I love your face. Commehere! LEMME KISS IT.

*MAUHMAUHMAUHMUAH

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used - Wild by Parade of Lights_

Just another lazy Monday in my life at the lunch table. Steadily attempting to avoid Tayuya's eyes as I pushed at my food. My friends chattered , laughing away as usual. Everything was just about the same as always.

That's when a wild Kankuro attacked.

"Hey there lil kat!" He greeted with a grin as he slid onto a chair directly in front of me. There was a paper in his hand and a pencil in his other. With a happy little tone, he said, "So, I need help with my pre-cal."

Alert. Alert. My gameboy screen was blinking red.

"Um," I started, a bit slow because I was too stunned to go any faster, "I… suck at math?"

"Is that right?" He asked as he crossed his arms, "Little bird told me different."

My eyes flickered to Tayuya, and her eyes were there to instantly lock onto mine. Shaking my head, I bit my lip and tore my gaze away, "I'm not sure when I even mentioned math to _her, _but I'm totally terrible at it. Wait… Why don't you ask Tayuya! She wants to be an engineer right, why did you come over here?"

"She is actually pretty limp in the subject as well, plus she's quietly hating my guts. And, I didn't mean Tayuya, I meant Kiba figured out might be good at it," he informed with a shrug, his hair shifting as he went to staring at his paper, "Welp. Guess I'm screwed."

"Um, Shikamaru's not around?" I asked quietly, my eyes slipping to my friends who were now curiously glancing over.

"Nah, he's off somewhere. Gaara is a grade below, so I'm pretty much screwed."

"Well…" Biting my lip, I squirmed a bit as I offered without truly thinking about it, "Temari is good in all subjects. She's the top of our class. Maybe she can help?"

Kankuro blinked in surprise as I gave a shaky smile. Temari, upon hearing her name, turned towards me. With an apologetic smile, I asked, "Would you mind coming over here for a bit? My, um, friend needs help in math."

She was more curious more than anything. With a shrug, she came over and plopped next to Kankuro. Fidgeting with my fingers, I pointed, "Kay Temari, this is Kankuro. Kankuro, this is Temari. Uh. Make math babies I guess?"

Kankuro laughed as Temari gave a small smile. With her eyes turning towards the paper on the table, she grabbed it and skimmed it over a bit. Seconds later, they were mumbling about where he needed help on and what he was confused at. (2)

Most awkward part of my day. In this high school, tables didn't usually mix or breach with others. This was practically history in the making.

What was the world coming to? As my eyes glance back over to the skaters table, and there was a certain red haired girl's eyes steadily waiting for mine, I sighed and shrugged. Who knew, maybe everything was just turning upside down.

X

Classes went by fast, which I was grateful for. No matter what happened this weekend, there was no way I could forget about Sakura's science fair adventure. I was actually excited as the last bell rang, and went straight over. When I got to the science room, there was a bunch of people there, including Sakura. She hopped over as soon as she saw me, Ethan in her hand as she came. With a grin, she greeted me as cheerfully as ever.

"Hey! You made it." She stated as Ethan blinked at me, obviously excited but too lazy to show it.

I smiled, "Of course. I'm pretty excited, are all these people going to be involved?"

"Yeah," she nodded, turning back to the group while standing next to me, "They are all about to set up their stuff. Since I'm the judge, I can't help with any of it. So instead I'm going to go ahead and decorate the halls for them. You're a bit early, though. I didn't expect you till it started, which is at 4:30."

"Oh crap I forgot about the time and just came straight over," I admitted with a small frown, "Well, I can come back. Maybe walk down the street for something to eat I guess. Or do some homework while I wait."

"If that's what you want to do," Sakura shrugged in reply as she slipped a smile at me, "But you can always stick around and join into the chatter. It would help, because I need someone to watch Ethan while I put up banners and stuff."

I blinked, "Watch him? Me? Would he be ok with that?"

She laughed as she held up Ethan eye level, "Yo Ethan, bruh, wanna hang out in my pocket or sit with this cute girl for an hour?"

To my absolute surprise, he wiggled, quacked, and practically darted from her hand, almost falling if Sakura hadn't caught her. But it was like she saw it coming, and she already had a hand waiting to grab him in mid sprint. With a grin, she looked back to me, "See. This guy loves you, but most importantly everyone who is a lady. Just saying, as a disclaimer, if you forgot he was a player and all."

I laughed, feeling a bit eager to be taking care of Ethan for a while. As Sakura noticed my obvious excitement, she carefully brought Ethan towards me and placed him in my anxious cupped hands. When he was safely sitting with me, she backed up with a grin, "Woo, that could have gone bad."

"Oh god don't say that," I whispered, as if speaking too loud would have the baby duck tumbling out of my hand. He blinked and waddled in the space he had, which wasn't much.

"I mean, he could have tripped and went splat all over! Like that nursery rhyme. People would sing about his death in the most inappropriate way for years to come." Sakura continued to chatter carefreely.

"Seriously? Is this seriously what you want to be joking about when some stranger is holding your duck?" I asked with a small glare.

"Can't tell me it isn't a real possibility," she laughed with a shrug. Then, she swayed her fingers in the air as she sang, "All the science students and all the jock's men couldn't put Ethan back together again."

"Honestly!" I began, but before I could get any further I heard Ethan quack as he fell over in my palms. He wiggled frantically as he attempted to pick himself back up, but to no avail.

With another laugh, Sakura helped him with one finger and commented, "Come on bro, be a bit smoother than that."

"Oh god, I don't even think I can handle this anymore." I admitted as the duck blinked in satisfaction, stretched, and quacked again with a look around.

"I was just teasing Ino, he's honestly not that much trouble. I mean, he's more lazy than anything," Sakura comforted with a grin. Then moving away before I could protest anymore, she called, "Be right back. Lemme go grab the materials so we can get started."

And with another little smile, she was gone.

So there I was, duck in my hand with his every breath making me nervous.

He glanced back at me with a blink, and I imagined him raising his eyebrow at me. With a pout, I admitted, "I'm a noob at taking care of baby ducks. And I heard you were the worst of them all. Like, the bad egg."

Bad thing is, he didn't even argue. Instead he blinked lazily, yawned, and waddled around his small space for a bit.

"So I'm right?"

I was answered with a quack.

"Then this is totally a bad idea."

Two more quacks, a waddle, and he patted his feet a bit before he sat down and got comfortable, turning into a ball of fluff.

"Here to stay huh?" I asked with a sigh and a glance around for Sakura. Without her in sight, I started again in a low voice, "Well, I don't think it will be too bad if you behave. And if you do, I'll give you a kiss. I heard you totally love those, well ladies, but I mean same difference right?"

"Exactly," Sakura answered out of nowhere, scaring ten years out of me. Blushing, I attempted to stumble something out, but she only grinned and continued as she lugged around a huge roll of paper and other colorful things, "But you shouldn't give him a kiss on the first date, he already has too much of an ego. Now me? Totally deserve it. I mean, how strong do I have to be to drag all of this around? I'm not freakin superman, but I'm sure a kiss would keep me going."

I couldn't even bother saying anything more, because I was too embarrassed to. So I settled for following behind her, lazy Ethan just sitting around watching the scenery as we moved. We made our stop somewhere around Hall A, which wasn't too far. She commented that this was where everything was going to be held, because it wasn't a very big event.

She continued to gush about the science fair later this year that was supposed to be county wide, which she was extremely looking forward too.

"All ten schools competing, and all grouped up in categories," she went on explaining excitedly as she stapled things to the wall, "After that, whoever was best in those categories, will be going to states. And after that, nationals! You know, five years ago, one of our kids won nationals! He went to places all over, because he was fighting everyone from all over! Best part is, everything was paid for. He got to see all these amazing things and hotels."

"That has to be a pretty awesome experience," I replied with a smile, finding the way she gushed about something so nerdy to be pretty cute. With a grin back at me, she continued to name off all the places the guy went, and with a small laugh I commented, "He had to be your idle, huh, whenever you heard about it?"

"Completely," she admitted as she climbed down the ladder. With a smile, she grabbed another poster from the floor and grabbed the ladder to drag it further down the hallway. I followed as she continued, "He was my brother, you know? So like, he's the one who got me into this whole science trip. I wasn't always so dorky about it. It was when I saw how cool it was for him to be taken to all these places because he was so _smart _that I decided I wanted to be just like him."

Another smile played at my lips, "Mm, your brother made you dorky? Are you sure about that?"

"Ok, so maybe I was dipped in the dork juice since the moment I was born,(3)" Sakura laughed as she climbed the ladder, "But I mean, he was my inspiration to do everything I can with science. To be selected, out of a group of people, to compete with random other smart people around, and to win the whole title just because he knew his stuff? That was the most awesome thing to me, because it was different. I mean basketball teams have to have skill to get carried to place to place like that, but you hear about it, it's mainstream. But my brother did all of that, with _science! _You don't hear about that everyday."

"That is true," I nodded with a small laugh, "So where is he now?"

"Oh… uh he died a couple of years back…"

My heart sunk, so loud that even Ethan awoke from his nap. His eyes opened as my eyes dropped and mumbled, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No no it's fine!" Sakura rushed out with a nervous laugh. My gaze slid to hers, and she gave me a comforting smile, "He was awesome, and he had a great run with his life. I'm sure he died happy."

I gave a small smile before looking away and falling silent, not knowing what else to do.

"Anyway," she continued, attempting to push away the awkward shift in the air, "He was the great influence who made me what I am today. I mean, I didn't always like comic books and silly little superheroes or science. But he would always force me to hear his stupid little adventures that he would have in his room with his books. Practically all of my superhero hoodies are his. Honestly, he was my best friend, and I miss him."

Then, she turned back towards me and her green eyes were bright as she said cheerfully, "But I have new friends and new adventures. So because of that, I'm happy."

I smiled, her grin easing me back. With a happy hum, she jumped off of her ladder and grabbed another poster before tugging the ladder along further down the hall. It was then she added cheerfully, "Oh, and there's you. You're amazing laugh always makes my day."

My stomach flipped, and I opened my mouth to say something nervously but she glanced back at me with a grin that shut me back up. When she turned back around, I let go of a breath and attempted to push past my nerves. Ethan though, he gave me a look that was too knowing and smart for a lazy duck to have. With a bite of my lip, I ignored him and silently followed Sakura, who seemed to have missed the whole scene completely.

X

The science fair was pretty fun, but it sucked that it was so short. Well, maybe it was longer, but hanging out with Sakura the whole time made the whole night speed by. I laughed so much my stomach hurt, and that was a good thing. She was nice enough to drop me off, which was great because I hadn't even thought of how I was getting home. Honestly, I was glad I went, it really lifted my spirits.

But, when I walked into the house after waving to Sakura goodbye, my mom was walking past. Cookie in her hand, she headed towards the stairs with a greeting and a small additional note, "Haven't heard from Tayuya from quite a bit, has something happened?"

A frown pulled at my lips as I watched her climb the stairs, not bothering to wait for my reply. It wouldn't surprise me if she had guessed that me and Tayuya got into a fight, but did she honestly have to ruin my good mood?

With a sigh, I placed my keys on the kitchen counter, next to a full plate of peanut butter and chocolate chips cookies that seemed to be waiting for someone to eat them.

* * *

(1) ( watch?v=qKF5xrtAovU) Yo. link. Fo yo face. Fosho. Sappy song though. Sowwie.

(2) - No they aren't related. Why? Because I forgot that one small detail before some fan pointed it out to me. Fml D: I'm such a supabad writer. OOOH WELLL

(3) - Thus, dorkswagg-goo was born. History: being made up everyday.

**I do NOT ramble all the time. Don't even worry what I'm talking about guys, I'mma fight this guy by myself. Jk. Love you. You could be a girl. That's cool too. Wanna make math babbies? Too much? I mean that can't be TOO inappropriate. Plus I suck at math... so you can only imagine how much the math baby making is going to suck.**

**Ha... ha I made a seemingly harmless/inapproriate joke. Ha. My name shy. Me funny. Me make laughs.**

**Kay. Anyway guys! SORRY IT'S SO SHORT. I thought it needed to be. It wasn't a date, it was just some friendly hang out time. AND IT WAS A WHOLE CHAPTER OF JUST SAKURA. Like. Be passiant. Spelled that wrong. Patient? Patiant? no. NO I think its Patient. I refuse to backspace to delete my embaressment. **

**READ REVIEW. Let's make this happen. **

**My name Shycadet. Me loves. Me OUT. **


	19. The crime

**A/N - **Asshat is the insult of the year. Like. Come on. COME ON.

LIKE I GIVE YOU STUFF AND YOU SCREAM FOR MOAR.

You know who you are. AND IF YOU DONT. YOU STILL KNOW WHO YOU ARE. Well, sir/ma'am who wants to call me an asshat for not updating fast enough BECAUSE I'M SOME SLAVE, heres a chapter for YOUR FACE. Notice how I did NOT insult you

Didn't call you an ASSHAT face. Or a POOP face. Not even a LOSER face. JUST FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL LOVELY FACE BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.

See kids. This is how you kill people with kindness. Now this person is going to like, bow down to me. But lets be real. You guys do that already.

Shy: teaching kids how to do it right.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

_Song used - Avicii & Project 46 ~ Crime (feat. You & Daphne) (Culture Code Remix)_

I didn't really understand what was going on with me and Tayuya. I saw her around school, and we would make eye contact, but we wouldn't speak a word to each other. My mind would wander in class, my palm propping up my chin as I idly doodled on my paper, and I would wonder if she thought that I possibly forgot that we still had to talk after I blew her off at the party. I mean, it was practically impossible for me to suddenly just become oblivious with the whole situation, but it was the only idea I could think of for as to why she hadn't sought my attention.

Or maybe I was just being self centered.

Honestly, maybe I should approach her, but the thought tossed my stomach. I didn't want to, despite the reward, I was too nervous. When I thought back to what I said to her that night, I would flinch inwardly with a small frown. I was a complete bitch to her, and then I didn't even give her a chance to speak her peace all the way. Granted it wasn't my fault, but I could have pressed for some more time just to get the whole thing over with.

School ended on a dull note without Sakura around to cheer me up. It was one of her days to be at the college, so I ended up just wandering at lunch. As I made my way to the buses, not paying attention or thinking about anything in particular, a huge bear scooped me up and practically carried me away without any questions asked.

And of course, the only bear I knew that would have me dragged away was Kankuro.

"What the heck," I complained, knowing better to even ask what he was up to.

"Come on lil'kat, we're going to the mall."

"Seriously?" I huffed as I glanced around, giving a sheepish smile and a shrug as the underclassmen stared, "I don't think it's the best time. I have a ton of homework."

"Me too!" Kankuro replied cheerfully with a hum, "But who cares, we can get it done later."

"Well, at least put me down!"

Smoothly, he placed me on my two feet. When I glared at him, he only grinned. Then, he opened the car door for me, which took me off guard. Not that I thought he was a barbarian with no gentlemanly manners, but because I didn't know he had a car. With a questioning look inside for a moment, I shrugged and slipped in. Shutting the door, he came around and slid in as well. With another smile at me, he cranked the car up with a smooth hum.

"Oooh, this is going to be fun."

I rolled my eyes, not believing a word because I wasn't a very big fan of the mall. But then, I caught his eyes locking onto something, and me being curious, I looked over to see what got his attention. With dread, I realized it was Tayuya, her hands jammed into her pocket as she rode her board right by us. I refused to try to make eye contact, so instead I quickly looked down to my lap.

Seconds later, Kankuro huffed out a sigh, "God, if only looks could kill."

I frowned and slowly looked back up to see Tayuya down the road, not giving us a second glance. Heart twisting, I remained silent and stayed that way until we reached the mall. The whole time my mind would wander to the redhead and how much I missed her

X

I got home later than I wanted to that night. Messing around with idiotic Kankuro, my homework kept me up even more. And with me continously glancing towards my window, nervously wondering if I should pull up my blinds and crack it open, I wasn't able to focus at all, which slowed me to a snails pace.

When I was finally finished, I pushed away my books with an aggravated huff. It was dumb how it was almost a week of this nonsense and I was still stressed beyond belief about it. Not only was me not talking to Tayuya slowly breaking me down, but I couldn't pull my mind away from wandering to the mystery girl who was with her at the party. I kept replaying the way she would laugh and push Tayuya's shoulder, or how Tayuya tossed her a grin that was too similar to the ones she would toss me. And with every passing second I thought of them two together, it would drive me more and more insane.

I didn't know what was coming over me, but my stomach would twist angrily as I found myself glaring at something randomly. Deep frown on my face, I would tightening my fist subconsciously and find myself mumbling words that weren't very polite.

Honestly, I was losing it.

Running my hand through my hair, I plopped onto my bed to sit down, one leg curled under me as I snatched my phone from my sheets. When I entered my password I knew there wouldn't be any messages, but I couldn't help the sense of disappoint that washed over me as I saw no notifications on my homescreen.

With a bite of my lip, I slipped my finger across the screen, going to the phone numbers that was stored in my phone. My heart twisted as I saw Tayuya's name, and with a nervous little breath, I moved to press on it and the green little call button, but just seconds before I stopped myself.

Frustrated, I tossed my phone back on the bed.

I just… couldn't bring myself to do it.

I didn't even know what to say, which was what was stopping me. But with a tumble of my stomach, I knew that wasn't entirely true. I was just, nervous. It was crazy how this girl used to be my best friend and I would spend almost every summer night with her, but now I couldn't even get out one sentence without wanting to hide under my sheets.

But I missed her… I wanted her back.

With a steady breath, I turned to pick up my phone again, but I stopped mid reach as if there was some force field there.

I couldn't do this.

I just couldn't.

Groaning, I stood up and started to walk around my room. This was starting to get incredibly stupid. I just needed to call her, and tell her I was sorry, and just beg to forget everything. Then, everything would be fine and I could have her back. It was simple, so simple, but I couldn't even bring myself to do it.

I stared at my phone like it was evil, and with another swallow I stepped towards it to grab it.

Of course I stopped myself again.

"What the living, hell," I mumbled to myself, my fists shaking at my side, "Why do I have to be such a chicken?"

With a sigh, I gave up and sat back down on my bed. It was pointless, for tonight anyways. Maybe, when I saw her again tomorrow, I would gain the courage to say something. It didn't have to be overly important or serious, maybe just a simple hello to help her understand that I did want her around and I was just waiting for her to do something.

Because she had to know that I couldn't make the first move, she had to know that I didn't have the courage to.

So, with a sigh, I walked towards my lightswitch quietly and flicked it off with a deafening silence following me as I made my way back to my bed. Biting my lip, I attempted to curl into my sheets and close my eyes to sleep, but I couldn't with my mind wandering back to her. Then, despite myself, I rolled over and grabbed PaulyD, holding him close as I curled back into a ball. With a sniff, I attempted to find any faint smell of Tayuya lingering after the couple of nights with her laying with me while I hugged him.

There was none.

Disappoint was the last emotion I felt before I finally managed to drift off into fitful dreams.

ooo

It was deep into the night when I heard the gentle knock at the window. Though the sound roused me from my sleep, my mind was slow to process why exactly I was up. Eyes barely open, I slowly sat up and looked around my room. When I saw no one was there, I frowned in confusion.

Then I heard the knock again.

Still sluggish and confused, it took me a moment to get up from bed. After I managed to stand, I found myself tripping on almost everything on my floor as I attempted to reach the knocking. With a curse muttering out in my cracked voice, I grumbled and kicked everything out of the way before finally reaching the window. With a small yawn, I grabbed my blinds, pulled open, and wasn't sure if I was surprised to see Tayuya crouching there, her eyes avoiding mine.

I mean who else could it have been?

Unlocking the hinges that kept the window shut tight, I tugged it open and stepped back to allow her in. She hopped in quietly, stretching into her full height shortly after. There was only crickets around us as we both stood there, and the breeze from outside was making me cold. Grabbing ahold of one elbow, I idly rubbed my arm to gather some petty warmth as I waited patiently in silence.

Because just like her, I wasn't sure as to what I should say.

Seconds past, and I could have sworn minutes as well, but maybe I was just nervous. Just as the deafening silence was becoming unbearable, she mumbled softly, "Hey."

A half hearted smile pulled at my lips, one that didn't even reach my eyes, as I replied quietly, "Hi…"

With a swallow, she grabbed her beanie and dragged it from the top of her head. Holding it tight between her fingers, she kept it against her stomach as her other hand stayed in her pocket. Her eyes were constantly moving, which seemed odd to me because I was so used to them looking steadily into mine. In the silence, I watched her, wondering if I should just continue to wait as she fought with herself or should I speak first?

Seconds later though, Tayuay's voice came in soft after clearing her throat, "I um. I…" A frown tugged at her lips as she shifted nervously, her fist tightening at her beanie as she attempted to steal herself. A moment later, she admitted, "I- I came up with the perfect thing to say and I can't get it out. Uh. Sorry. Just give me a second."

Another soft smile slipped my lips, this one actually reaching my eyes. As gentle as possible, I replied, "It's ok. Take your time."

She swallowed again, shifting with another breath. Her eyes continued to bounce around, landing on everything but my own. Silently to myself, I wished for her to just look at me, no matter how nervous I knew it would make me. It was apart of what I loved about her, the way she could always look me straight in the eyes, and not being able to see her soft brown eyes fully was killing me.

Then, seemingly gathering the strength from the cold air around us, her eyes flicked up to mine and they stayed there, still and steady with determination and truth. Taking a step towards me, without breaking the eye contact, she gently slipped her hand across mine and carefully twisted her fingers over my own. Slowly, she lifted my palm to her chest and laid it flat on her heart.

I might have been imagining things, but I could have sworn I felt it beating a mile per minute. Despite me wanting to hide from her heavy gaze, I kept my eyes and body as still as possible. With a broken little frown, she muttered, "I'm sorry, from the bottom of my heart, for what I said to you that night. It wasn't right, and it was immature. Truthfully, it hurts me knowing that I hurt your feelings, I never thought I could be one of those people. But I did, and I'm frustrated with myself for doing something like that to you, of all people..."

She fell silent for a moment, and with a shift, her grip on my hand loosened as she slid her eyes to the side, allowing my fingers to slip away from hers, "And I know I deserve it, but the cold shoulder you've been giving me stings like all hell. I'm not used to it, so maybe that's what's bothering me the most. Besides me being an absolute dick, I managed to get you to push me away. And, Ino, that isn't what I want." She paused and took a moment to sigh.

Her eyes slid back to mine and they weren't as hard and determined, more like solem with a mixture of disparity as she started again slowly, "So, after hours of banging into my head that I'm not special enough to believe you should give me the time of day, and after days of telling myself I'm an idiot and you don't deserve my bull shit, I gained the courage to come by tonight to apologize, sincerely, about everything. And… I'm willing to back off and give you more space if you want. It'll burn, but I won't mind waiting around- not when it's you. I'll wait as long as I need to."

After that, she abruptly broke eye contact and nervously waited, her fist squeezing the life out of her poor little beanie

There was a few seconds of silence, my mind slowly sinking everything she was saying in. But it was hard to comprehend fully with my stomach gradually filling with the old butterflies I was used to whenever I was around Tayuya. Warmth was also spreading throughout my skin, tummy, and chest, making her words easier to believe. Before I knew it, a small smile was pulling at my lips.

"Well," I began softly, my hand reaching for to her tight fist as I attempted to gently pull her eyes back to mine, "It wasn't that serious in the first place. I was being emotional and dumb, and honestly maybe the whole thing just blew up to a scale that wasn't required. But…" I paused, waiting for her warm brown eyes to flick onto mine before continuing, "I forgive you. And thank you for taking the time to sound really sincere about it. I hope you didn't beat yourself up too much, because honestly this argument was petty."

I gave another smile as I carefully pulled her beanie from her hand, "And I wanted to apologize too, for being a bitch at the party. It wasn't right, and it was pretty immature, and you didn't really deserve that much, so I'm sorry about that."

"Uh, it's alright," she stumbled as I placed her beanie beside my bed before twisting my fingers with hers.

Amused by the way she was acting, I teasingly gave her a soft laugh before tugging her gently along as I backed towards my bed. In a conversational tone, I asked, "Will you be staying awhile?"

"Sure," she swallowed while following me, nervously looking into my eyes, "I mean, if you want."

"Kinda," I admitted with another little smile. In return, she slid her eyes away from mine. My stomach turned, simply because of how skittish she was being and how cute I found it. Sitting on top the bed, I scooched back into my spot, giving her room to climb in as well.

Slowly, as if unsure, she let go of my hand to take off her shoes. As I waited I watched her, nothing in particular running through my mind. After a few more seconds, she placed her shoes next to her beanie neatly and climbed into bed as well. She continued to dodge my eyes, but in a way that didn't seem as distant as before. With a smile, I laid down and got under my sheets, Tayuya following shortly after.

I waited patiently for her to gain the nerve to slip her arm around me, and when she did my heart lurched. I'm not sure why, it was something I should have been used to by now, but having her here after days of us being awkward made everything seem more…

Important. Significant. Like there was something brewing between the both of us.

After a moment of shifting and getting comfortable, I pressed back against her and slipped my hand across hers. With a small shiver as I felt her breath at my neck, I mumbled, "Your hand is freezing."

With a short laugh, she muttered back, "I may or may not have been standing outside for awhile, trying to gain the nerve to knock."

A smile slipped my lips, "Dork, what were you so scared of?"

"You," she sighed out simply as she pulled me closer, "And you telling me that you wanted nothing to do with me."

"That wouldn't have happened," I rolled my eyes as I stared ahead, smiling a bit more.

"Was still nervous," she mumbled quietly, keeping still as I twisted my fingers with hers attempting to get her warm, but they felt like little icicles. We were quiet for a moment, and as the silence danced around us a thought skipped by that was hard to ignore. With a bite of my lip, because I was a tad nervous, I kept still. But then, slowly, I guided her hand with mine my lower tummy. She didn't say anything the whole time, which was psyching me out, but with a quick shut of my eyes, I gently pulled her hand under my t-shirt.

The instant her fingers touched my skin I jumped back, because they were so cold. She allowed me to, and didn't chase after my flinching stomach for a moment, but after a couple of seconds, she slowly moved her hand back to my skin on her own.

I shivered again but attempted to keep still when her palm smoothly dragged up my tummy. Too embarrassed to say anything, I kept quiet, but Tayuya seemed to work herself back to normal, because she laughed and mumbled right next to my ear, "Is this you trying to warm my hands up?"

I blushed and curled away from her voice, "Maybe."

"It's working," she commented teasingly, continuously running her fingers against my skin. Then, she added softly, "You know, my lips are cold too."

My heart nearly stopped. With a bite of my lip, I stumbled, "How is that my problem?"

"Aw come on Ino," she muttered, her tone a bit taunting as she whispered, "I was thinking you could help."

Two seconds of making up, and she was drowning me with her teasing. Shutting my eyes tight, I replied, "How?"

For a moment, she didn't say anything. It felt like an eternity, but maybe that was my little heart dying for only a couple of seconds. But, in the dead of silence, she shifted while sliding her hand to my waist. Palm flat against my curves, her fingers curled and held me securely, as if keeping me from squirming away. Then, so soft I barely felt it, her lips pressed against the back of my exposed shoulder.

The spot seared, and literally ran it's heat all the way to my stomach. My thudding loudly, I kept still, practically holding my breath. When she didn't get any complaints or attempts from me to have her stop, she ran her lips across my skin and softly pressed them higher, nearing my neck.

She paused again, as if testing me with each move she was making, and after seconds of nothing but me being frozen she kissed my skin again.

And again.

And again.

Each kiss burning hotter than the last.

Eventually, she reached my ear, and I could feel the pull at her lips as she mumbled quietly, "See. All fixed."

I struggled to breathe as she scratched my waist soothingly before slipping her hand away. In my frozen state, she found my hand and laced her fingers on top of it. Her palm warmed my knuckles as she pulled me along with her back to my stomach. With a sigh, she pulled me closer and muttered quietly, "Can I sleep here tonight, I've really missed you."

It was a school night, but at this point I couldn't even argue. With a nod of my head, I allowed her to pull me even closer as her nose brushed the back of my neck. Another sigh danced across my skin as her lips brushed against me, "I've missed the smell of you too."

As if she said the magic words, a smile slipped out and I slowly melted. With a small laugh, I mumbled back, "You know, I've missed the smell of you too."

She laughed, "What a weirdo."

"Look who's talking," I countered, my smile pulling even more. I couldn't explain why, but it felt like it was stuck there.

"Cooler than you," she huffed before sighing, "Tonight was seriously exhausting."

"For you and me both," I admitted quietly before a yawn managed to squeeze out.

She hummed and muttered, "Go to bed."

"No," I argued quietly.

"Mm, but you need to," she pressed as her fingers tightened around mine.

"No," I whined softly.

Her laugh was soft before she settled and whispered, "What if I give you another kiss? Would you sleep then?"

I bit my lip as I curled and shut my eyes tight, "Um… maybe." It slipped out. I couldn't help it. My heart was hammering like crazy as I anxiously waited, not knowing where to expect the next kiss to be. With a shift from Tayuya, she pulled away from my hand and mumbled, "Alright, but you have to roll over."

I nearly died on the spot.

Heat ran up my neck as my mind blared with all these thoughts.

But, through the chaos, I slowly rolled around to face her. Her eyes were glowing and there was a small smile on her face, the first one I've seen that didn't seem completely teasing. Looking straight into my eyes she leaned forward, causing mine to shut my eyes tight. I held my breath, too scared to bother breathing. And after tumbling seconds, I felt her lips press against my cheek.

When I felt her pull away, I opened my eyes with a burning blush seemingly spreading throughout my whole body.

She gave me another smile before adjusting and allowing me to lay on her chest as her arm curled around me. I quietly stared at her chest, not able to say a word.

With a small laugh, she whispered, "Good night Ino."

After a couple of seconds, I stumbled out, "Night…"

* * *

(1) watch?v=6aOBQhGqwVw&list=HL1378002636&feature=mh_lolz Link fo yo STUNNING face bob.

**No bob, I'm not angry with you. You've forced me to poop out this chapter long and fast. So like. I appreciate you.**

**Say thank you to bob fans. That fan works hard for you.**

**I hope you guys liked it. Its a give and take situation. Since I'm kinda BORROWING this computer at the moment, I don't have the time to go through and edit it hard enough. Excuse the mistakes and try to live with it.**

**Omg. Omg omgomgomgomgomgomgomg. Delayed reaction. To what is happening. AREN'T THEY CUTE.**

**Team Sakuras you have to at least ACKNOWLEDGE Tayuya's absolute smoothness. So Captain of team Sakura. Take it all in. TAKE IT ALL IN. Tayuya is a MONSTERTHUG. **

**Review me. Please? Like lots. LIke two at a time. No i'm kidding**

**No i'm not.**

**No seriously I am.**

**Ok lets be real. I'm not.**

**JK Love you . **

**ShyAsshat loves. Out. **


	20. Lips

**A/N - **CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

Now give me my reward. I don't accept challenges for cheap.

This one fan was testing me guys. TOTALLY showed them.

Boom. Shy 2016: causing college students to lose sleep over silly updates. vote for meh.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

_Song used - The XX - Reconsider (Jamie XX Remix) _

That morning, I woke up with an arm securely around me and a muffled yawn. Tayuya and I managed not to move throughout the night, and silly me forgot to set my alarm. But it didn't seem to matter, because we still had plenty of time to get ready.

With a sleepy blink and a stretch of my legs, I snuggled closer without a second thought. In turn, she pulled me into her, leaning down and whispering, "Morning beautiful."

A small smile slipped my lips as I rolled my eyes and mumbled, "Yeah right, but good morning."

"You know, I remember saying that I would help you believe in the fact that you're gorgeous," she muttered conversationally, her fingers slipping down my shoulder and to my arm, "I'm willing to take the time out of my day to keep that promise."

"No need," I sighed with my eyes closing again, "I wouldn't believe it. I'm not that great looking."

"You're absolutely heart wrenching," she pressed carefully, leaning closer to whisper quietly, "So much that it's hard to keep my lips off of you."

Kay, that did it. Heart stopping mid beat, I squeezed her shirt in my fist as I stumbled out, "Shut up. Please."

She laughed, but it was soft and not at all taunting. With a hum, she began again, "It's true. I had a hard time stopping when I started."

"Maybe we should start getting ready," I rushed out as I began to sit up, "Don't you need to go to your house to grab your clothes and stuff?"

I managed to pull myself away from her, but it didn't feel like I left her grasp. Instead, I felt like she still had her arms wrapped around me, trapping me to drown by her constant teasing. She didn't stop me as I sat up, but she didn't move from her spot either. Instead she stretched and curled her arms under her head. When I went through lengths to avoid her gaze, she sighed out and replied, "Yeah, kinda, but I don't feel like leaving yet."

"You have to, you can't go to school in yesterday's clothes," I pointed out with my hand running through my hair, suddenly realizing that I might have looked like a complete mess. Attempting to brush my hair with my fingers, I babbled, "I mean, imagine how many people would give you weird looks."

"I doubt they would notice besides the gang, and even then they're morons so it's questionable," she countered, not sounding like she cared very much. I felt her watching me before she started again, "How about you come lay with me for another five minutes?"

Stomach flipping, I replied, "Probably not the best idea."

"Scared I'll keep you here all morning?" Her questioned taunted me from behind, "I guess it'll be hard to let go, I mean I'm getting pretty cold and I was way warmer when my arms wrapped around you."

Oh god. That was cute. I couldn't even deny it.

A small smile slipped my lips, but I kept my back turned as I mumbled, "Then get under the sheets."

"Nah princess, I think I'd rather have you back over here." There was a shift in the bed as I felt her sit up. Leaning into my back, she slipped her arm around my waist and danced her fingers under my shirt. Tickling me gently, she mumbled into my ear, "Come on, just five more minutes."

My heart hammered, and with a bite of my lip I nodded and gave in. Her lips pulled into a smile, I could feel it against my neck as her breath tickled me. Then, as she laid back down, she tugged me along as well.

Needless to say it was NOT five more minutes, but almost an hour. I spent my last fifteen minutes scrambling to get ready for school. When I managed to make the bus, by some miracle, I couldn't help but think of Tayuya.

And the three more kisses she gave me before she climbed out of my window. (2)

X

My day was spent with me blushing, my stomach flipping, and me nervously attempting not to catch Tayuya's eyes, but I couldn't help it. At lunch as I sat with my friends, my mindless gaze would wander to her's, and every time she would catch my eyes with a smile, like she knew what I was thinking about.

God she was stressing me out.

Back in class I couldn't focus, I ended up sitting at my desk and doodling mindless things. The whole time my memories were whispering over the moment me and Tayuya held hands in that dark trail, and how unsure she sounded when she offered to try to find a school with both a good teaching and mechanical engineering program. That was the moment that I admitted to myself that I wanted her around for longer than high school had to offer.

And that I may have...

If only a little…

Just a silly, small, tiny, speck of a...crush. On… Tayuya.

I abruptly stood up from my seat.

"Um… Mrs. Yamanaka?" My teacher asked, a bit confused.

Looking around, I realized my disruption. Nervously, I stumbled to attempt to cover my tracks, "Oh, um, I wanted to know if I could get a pass to the nurse. I'm not feeling so well."

"Is it serious?" He asked carefully, giving me a look over and coming to the conclusion that I looked perfectly fine, "It's just about time for school to be up in another hour. Do you think you can wait until you get home?"

"Uh," I began, my mind rapidly running through all the excuses I could give him. Then, with a brilliant flash of light, I quickly lied, "Actually, no. You see, it's about that _time, _and today I totally forgot to bring my special _presents_ for that certain special _arrival._ I don't think I can wait, you know?" (3)

The color in his face literally drained as he quickly rushed, "Oh! Right, no, go right ahead. No need for a pass, just attempt to be back soon."

With a smile, I promised I would and quickly left the class. But of course I didn't go to the nurse, instead I darted straight to the science room, hoping to find Sakura there with a certain lazy duck. She was, and thankfully she didn't mind me bugging her for the rest of the school day.

Still, the whole time, even though I tried so hard not to, I just kept thinking about Tayuya and her stupid smile.

More specifically, her lips.

* * *

(1) - watch?v=HmwQxcJMUmA ) There ya go. Nice song, I like it. Smooth, just like Tayuya.

(2) - LOL you guys pissed? Yeahhh you guys pissed. You didn't get to see the last three kisses. TROLOLOOLOL.

(3) - Ha…. ha this excuse got me out of class so much. Nah. I have no regrets. NONE.

**Kay, to inform you, in about 3 days I will be finally moving into a permanent home. IN TURN, I won't have internet for another nine days after that. But lets not panic. I might still have the computer set up, so it shouldn't stop me from writing, just from updates. Until then, I will try to poop out another chapter.**

**Just because of the fan _expecting pooper. _Like. How can you NOT do the most for a name like that. LIKE COME ON. Seriously you guys on guest accounts should make real ones so I can send you spam LOLS when you do stupid stuff. You're all hilarious.**

**ANYWAY. So it's short. So what. SO WHAT. But I mean, everything is cutesy right? Like aweee, look at them, and Ino getting all flustered after she FINALLY admitted it. ****Ha...ha... I'm here to tell you, it's my job to rip you up into tiny little pathetic puddles of feels. *shrugs* nah, I'm not saying there is some tornado coming or something. But I mean. I am Shy.**

**What am I known for?**

**MAKING YOU GUYS RAGE, THAT'S WUT.**

**Sleep well tonight kiddies *Evil laugh* hope you have sweet dreams [:**

**Bahahahahah.**

**Shy loves to be evil. Shy out.**


	21. Brat

**A/N** - Expecting Pooper, this is for you.

Alright guys, lets roll up our sleeves and get down to business. This is where I SERIOUSLY need to kick EVERYTHING up a notch.

Enjoy.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Household Goods (Zeds Dead remix)_

That Saturday morning I laid in bed staring at the ceiling. My mind wandered and spun, but with only one thought the whole time.

I had a crush... On a girl... More specifically, Tayuya. But... She was a girl.

My stomach churned as I fidgeted with my fingers, nervously attempting to think if this was ok- if having a crush on a girl was normal. I knew there were people out there who went out with the same gender all the time, and they seemed really happy about it, but was this ok for me? Could I accept it? It didn't feel that weird, because when I thought about Tayuya I couldn't ignore the butterflies that came along with all of her smiles, taunts, laughs, and teasing. The moments she held me I felt undeniably warm.

And just recently, the way she would kiss my skin drove me absolutely insane.

Just thinking about all of this caused me to be a bit breathless, but I couldn't ignore the fact that she was a girl.

Maybe this was all petty, maybe I only crushed on her because she was my best friend and was practically the closest I've ever been with another person. She understood me, knew how to make me laugh, and teased me in ways that she knew would get me flustered.

So maybe that was it, maybe she was just a teasing best friend who is just trying to have fun. Either way, I was left confused. Still, I just needed to push this all aside because I didn't have much time to think about it. I knew this morning Saturday morning cartoons were playing, and that meant Tayuya would be coming over any moment. So. Pushed it all aside and told myself I would just act normal.

Sooner than later, Tayuya was knocking at my door right on cue. My mother was practically humming in happiness when she arrived with breakfast and other snacks. My mom gushed how much she missed her company, and about how many cookies stacked up without her presence.

Tayuya enjoyed the attention, but I didn't bother getting involved. Instead I took the bags from her hands and started to grab everything that I knew was mine- this time around managing to hold off of eating my mother's breakfast because I knew Tayuya would be coming over with treats for me to eat. When I finished, I rolled my eyes and waited for a bit. Eventually Tayuya caught the signal of me getting impatient and quickly ended the conversation to follow me upstairs.

When we made it, I took lead into the room. She closed the door carefully behind us while I plopped into bed, dumping my delicious stuff right next to me. Tayuya sat at the edge and drank the rest of her juice that was in her near empty bottle. When I noticed she didn't have any food of her own, I asked curiously, "What, not hungry?"

"Nah, I already ate this morning," she replied, turning to give me a smile.

I pouted as I opened my mini breakfast donuts, "Seriously? So early? And I have to sit here and look fat while I eat alone."

"Well, I expected to eat along with you, but something came up," she shrugged, "But I figured you would still want something this morning, so I went ahead and grabbed you stuff."

"Did Kiba managed to wake up early enough to treat you to breakfast?" I asked with a laugh, because the act of Kiba getting up early seemed so off the wall.

"Actually, an old friend of mine came over before work. She wanted me to treat her to breakfast, so I went ahead and did that." She laughed and rolled her eyes before continuing, "So basically I treated two girls to breakfast this morning. I'm going to go broke."

With a small frown, I watched as she stood up to turn on my tv. Even more curious than I was before, I asked carefully, "Old friend?"

"Yeah," she answered conversationally, distracted by trying to change to the right channel, "One of my friends from middle school just recently came back into town. I mean, she wasn't that far away to begin with, just a couple of hours, but she's back so we're hanging out a bit."

My frown pulled even more as my eyes narrowed. This fit the description of 'mystery girl' perfectly, and would explain why Kankuro never heard of Tayuya hanging out with any other girl. She must have just moved back, like last week.

I thought back to the party with a slight spike of annoyance growing within me. I couldn't help but think about that girls hand pushing Tayuya away with a flirting little laugh, and how Tayuya looked completely absorbed as she tossed her stupid grin. Before I could rage any harder about it though, Tayuya was turning back around. Quickly, I attempted to hide my obvious annoyance with a nibble at my donut, but my appetite was completely gone.

We were quiet for a couple of minutes as I forced down two more donuts and sipped a dash of my fancy orange juice before I couldn't do it anymore. So, storing everything else, I moved to place it beside my bed and settled near the back corner, the furthest away from Tayuya. Of course she wasn't having any of that. With a glance towards me, her lips pulled into a small smile as she started carefully, "Come on, why are you way over there?"

"Is having my space completely out of the order?" I asked with a small sneer, unable to help the bit of attitude that slipped out.

"No," she answered with a roll of her eyes, but then flicked her gaze right to me and added in a mumble, "But I would rather that it was."

Her stare was intense, enough for me to pull away as I angrily mumbled towards the TV, "Well too bad."

"Don't be like that," she sighed, kicking off her shoes before scooting back on the bed to the wall right behind her, "You know how hard this has to be for me."

My nerves were wavering as my curiosity got the best if me. Pretending to be indifferent, I asked, "What is?"

"Being around such a beautiful girl and having to keep my hands off her, let alone my distance." Her reply was nonchalant, as if she wasn't trying to burst my heart from my chest. I bit my lip and kept my gaze away from her, trying hard not to think about the teasing smile I knew she was throwing at me. Then, carefully she started again, "Especially since I already had a chance to taste her skin and how surprisingly sweet it is."

My heart stopped. Stumbling, I rushed, "God, what do you want from me?" I knew she wouldn't stop being ridiculous until I gave in.

"For you to come over here," she answered with a small smile, knowing that she cracked me- not that it took very long.

With a roll of my eyes, I mumbled, "No. Go away."

Her laugh was light, and her sigh breezed between us. Then, with another careful tone, she began, "Just come over here princess. I have some secrets I need to tell you."

My heart was sputtering along, and my stomach churned at the news. I wondered if it had anything to do with the recent kisses that I doubted would stop any time soon. Biting my lip again, I gained the courage to look over at her, curious about what she might have to say. Instantly she caught my eyes, and slowly she slipped me a smile that forced me to forget how to breathe. God, I hated that smile, and the look she was giving me. I tried to look away, to continue to be stubborn because I was annoyed for a reason I couldn't remember, but she leaned forward and grabbed my wrist. I sighed, but she only mumbled, "Stop being a pouter puff girl. Come over here."

That last bit got me to smile, because I thought it was a tad funny. Noticing my smile, she grinned and tugged me over. Then, with a sigh I gave in and crawled the space between us. I was going to sit next to her, but she had something else in mind. Instead, she pulled me right between her legs with my back facing her, tugging me all until her chest was pressing against me.

I kept still as she slipped her arms around me, propping her chin onto my shoulder. With a small sigh, she mumbled, "Ever think you belong here, princess?"

"No," I stumbled, pushing the thought of me having a crush on her out of my head, "I have better places to be."

She laughed, "Ouch, that one stung."

"Cry about it," I countered with a huff, struggling to regain my composure, "Now what did you want to tell me?"

Chuckling, she leaned close to my ear and mumbled as her lips brushed against me, "That you look cute in the mornings."

A burning blush swept my whole face. Panicking, I rushed, "Oh shut up, I'm going back to where I was."

But as soon as I attempted to move, she held me tighter. I tried to break the link, but it didn't work. Giving up with a cross of my arms, I felt her pull me back into her as she whispered to me in a taunt, "And what makes you think I'll let you go?"

"Stop being a child," I complained with a glare forward.

"Look who's talking, brat," she pointed out with a small laugh. Then, she continued slowly, "I also wanted to say that you look particularly gorgeous today."

Groaning my embarrassment, I begged, "Stop. Jeez, I never said you had to convince me. So let it go."

"Ever thought maybe I'm doing it because I want to?" She asked, unfazed by my response, "I mean, it gives me an excuse to stare at your amazing body without trying not to get caught."

"Tayuya..." I started softly.

"I'm serious," she replied just as quietly, turning to mumble against my ear, "You're heart wrenching, and you have no idea, but I want to be the one who proves it to you."

I kept quiet and looked down at my fingers, fidgeting as my heart raced. After a couple of seconds, she began again, "So, I came up with some reasons on how you are the most beautiful to me."

I closed my eyes and took a breath, because that was painfully cute. No longer able to help myself, I asked quietly, "And those are?"

"Well first off, your skin is absolutely flawless," she muttered while running her fingertips carefully across my bare tummy, causing me to shiver, "Soft, smooth, without any imperfections, obviously proving your beauty." I shifted causally, but I was nervous out of my mind. She allowed me to get comfortable, but after pulled me right back against her. Then, slipping her fingers against my own, she continued, "And your smile can make anyone fall in love with you, along with your musical laugh, which is also painfully beautiful."

My heart was pounding, especially with every brush of her lips. I kept ducking away slightly, trying to find the space to breathe, to gather myself, but Tayuya wouldn't let me. She continued to pull me back, each time her lips feathering right against my ear, "You're curiosity is, without of question, what makes you even more beautiful, along with your attitude, and how you refuse to take shit from anyone."

"Please stop," I slipped out as soon as I felt her lips press against my neck, searing me with a painful throb. She hummed in response, not bothering to pay me any mind, "You're smart, caring, and attentive, which shows how open you are to the world, and that is also beautiful. And your friends are down to earth people, which proves that you are more than the stereotype, and that is undoubtedly beautiful. But, Ino, do you know what I think is the most beautiful about you?"

I took a breath and asked meekly, "No, what?"

"Your gorgeous blue eyes," she answered quietly before placing another kiss on my shoulder.

My blush was still burning hot as I mumbled the only thing that came to mind, "Thank you."

"I'm just telling the truth," her whisper danced across my neck as she scratched my upper waist, pulling me closer to her as she attempted to reach more skin. I swallowed before stumbling out, "Is that it?"

"No, I'll continue to tell you everyday, if you need me to. And I'll come up with as many different reasons as I can, if that's what you want."

"No," I whimpered out by accident as I felt her lips again. Taking a moment to force myself to speak normal, I continued, "You don't have to. It doesn't matter."

"Does to me," she replied simply with a small sigh before pulling away, which I was grateful for because my fragile being couldn't handle much more of her taunting lips or sweet whispers, "Anyway, sweet heart, I unfortunately have to be going now."

Whatever spell I was in, it broke. With a frown, I glanced back at her, "What, why?"

"That old friend of mine needs for me to bring her lunch," Tayuya explained with a sigh as she leaned back against the wall, "I figured I should better run it to her sooner than later, cuz I completely forgot to ask when her lunch break was."

My heart twisted as I turned back around. With a hard set of my jaw, I grumbled, "Sounds like her problem."

"Don't be mean," she chuckled in humor, "I mean sure, technically it was her fault for messing around and trying to have breakfast before work, so she completely forgot to grab her lunch, but the least I can do is go swing by her place to go give it to her."

My heart sunk, "Her place? You're going to her house to get her lunch?"

"Yeah," Tayuya answered as I felt her shift to grab her beanie, which was beside the both of us, "She gave me her keys so I can grab it, but it should only be an hour of me being gone, and I'll be right back."

"Fine," I replied flatly while I moved away from her, "Go ahead."

"I'll make it up to you," she offered as I slipped out of bed.

With a roll of my eyes, I waved her off and left my room, "Whatever."

I heard her sigh as I left, but I didn't care. I was far too pissed to begin attempting to stop acting like the childish brat I knew I was being.

* * *

(1) - watch?v=7D5jwiECRbM (there we go. Just slap that at the end of your youtube url.)

**Andddddd we are all pissed because we don't get what we want.**

**And obviously what we want is a kiss, but come on its BOUND to be difficult. Plus there is other stuff I must set up, the fan dorkswag knows what I'm talking about. Challenge accepted again JERK. Are you never satisfied? HUH?! Too short! Too long! TOO HOT. TOO COLD. THIS ISN'T THE MOTHER FUCKING THREE BEARS OR WHATEVER. Forgot what it was called. Too lazy to look it up.**

**10 points to gryffindor for whoever tells me whatever that story is called. NO NOT REALLY YOU SUCK UPs. GAWD. Always trying to get Shy Points. **

**I just made those up. Can we make that a thing? Now I'm excited.**

**10 Shy Points to whoever can tell me that dumb child story.**

**Stahp it. I love you. Don't leave me. Stay. Review. Sustain me with long, hard, and fast ego strokes until I'm simply out of breath from delight.**

**Kay. I'm being exceedingly inapproriate with you guys. **

**REVIEW. I HAVE LIKE 10 DAYS TO COME UP WITH AN AMAZING NEXT CHAPTER FOR YOU GUYS. So prepare your butts.**

**Shycadet lovessssss. Out.**


	22. Awkward

**A/N** **–** AND IN THE MIDST OF YOUR DISPARE, I surprise you with this.

Shy 2016: lying in yo face to make myself look good. Vote. For. Meh.

Enjoy little love muffins.

**DISCLAIMER – I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

Monday at lunch, when I decided to wander to E-Hall, I was greeted with a familiar sight: Sakura, and one particular lazy duck, spending their seemingly normal day being…

Awkward.

"The City of Townsvile," Sakura said in her own announcer voice, setting the scene as I stood in the hallway sneakily, "Is a peaceful town with happy sunrays, rainbows, wittle rabbits- AND IS BEING ATTACKED BY A GIANT DUCK!"

I peeked inside as she did her pretend wails, trying hard to be ninja but I doubt she could hear anything over her own imagination. She was in her own little world as she faked screamed, Ethan waddling in with his pure destruction over the empty soda bottles and boxes.

"This guy is straight evil," Sakura squeaked out in a woman's voice as the 'town' was slowly being destroyed by pretend monster Ethan. With each bottle that tumbled over, Sakura would put back purely for the ducks entertainment, who was starting to make a game of running back and forth as fast as he could through the cluster.

"And that menacing glint in his eye!"

Ethan stretched for a moment, his dopey expression looking extremely _menacing _as he toppled over another 'building' with a quack.

"Oh no, he plans on blowing up the volcano," Sakura cried out frantically in the midst of her crashing noises that she was making with her mouth. I bit my lip to keep in my laugh, noticing in the town stood one of those huge 4 liter soda bottles with its sleeve gone. What I assumed was the volcano was filled with substances I couldn't guess.

"We have so many regrets," she continued to impersonate different people, this time male, while expertly grabbing various unlabeled materials and pouring them into a standing by empty cup, "Like building a town around the _only _volcano 100 miles in each direction!" Swirling the cup around, she added in a distant voice "And let's not forget how we allowed the disturbing mad professor to chemically mutate 3 five year old children, who we mock by calling them the 'Powerpuff girls' and all pretend they are superheros and not kids who need medical attention!"

As she chattered away to herself, she gathered the plastic cup. Nearing volcano as Ethan waddled and destroyed the town with his fluff, she squeaked, "Spare us, please! No! Nooo, stoppppppp!"

With that, she poured what was in the cup into the huge empty soda bottle filled with unknowns, and instantly there was a reaction. As it bubbled and expanded rapidly, the fizzing liquid tumbled out of the opening, drenching the town in its destruction. Just as it was about to touch Ethan's webbed feet, Sakura scooped him up in the safety of her palms, leaving the towns people to suffer.

"And, just like _none _of the old cartoons, the evil guy wins!" She announced finally, allowing Ethan to parade in her palm in victory.

Having seen enough, I allowed my laugh out and commented in amusement, "Very... interesting."

Sakura didn't bother turning around. Instead, she palmed her forehead with a heavy sigh and mumbled, "You know, I should seriously pay attention to the time before I start messing around with my dorkmode button. This getting caught situation seems to be a reoccurring thing. Worst part is, I'm feeling less embarrassed each time."

I laughed again and walked over to stand next to her at the table. Giving Ethan a hello pat on the head, I replied conversationally, "No way, it's entertaining to see how the Top Science Academy student of 4 years spends her free time."

"With no friends," she joked.

"Well, you have me," I offered with a smile towards her. She gave me a small smile as well before I continued with a point at the mess, "So, what's the deal?"

"Welp, every so often throughout the year, the science lab needs to be cleared out of all the unused clutter inside of the cabinets," she explained, carefully handing me Ethan before moving to start cleaning up, "And the job is usually tasked to the person who has the time to do it, so needless to say, here I am. But I ended up finding just the right stuff to make a basic volcano, so I took a small break."

"You totally got distracted," I cut in, not being fooled by her slick choice of words.

"Could you blame me?" She admitted with a grin, "I mean, a chance to make a basic volcano! Come on, I'm only human, I'm not made of steel."

"Well at least you are entertaining yourself," I laughed with a roll of my eyes.

"Yeah, and now I have the extreme pleasure to replenish everything after school today." She huffed in return, "My academy teacher gave me his card; Proves that even he didn't want to be stuck doing this."

"Or shows the bundle of trust he has for his top student," I countered, surprised by the last bit of information, "I doubt he would give anyone else that huge amount of responsibility."

"Blah, why must you speak sense," She complained with a sigh, wiping the table once more, "Bums me out. Anyway what about you? Why'd you wander over today?"

"Boring lunch," I replied, carefully avoiding the whole truth. She didn't need to know that I was still a bit upset with Tayuya about Saturday morning. That and I didn't want to spend my whole lunch either glaring at her or avoiding her eyes.

"Well, it's a time for eating," she joked as she finished, making the table clean enough to sit Ethan down on top of it. With a quack, he waddled to Sakura's end quickly, "I don't think it's supposed to be entertaining like an amusement park."

"True," I agreed with a sigh, "But I figured it would be a perfect time to visit you, seeing as you're epic."

"Also true," she grinned, patting Ethan on the head with one finger before he began to run somewhere else, "Well, do you have anything going on after school today?"

I thought carefully before answering, "Nope. Pretty lazy day, actually. Even my homework load is light."

"Cool," pausing her antic with Ethan, she gave a small smile and asked slowly, "Wanna come along with me today after school? I could use the company since it'll be really boring."

"I thought you would go crazy about it, honestly," I said conversationally as I gave a smile in return, "I mean, you're basically shopping for science."

"I refuse to admit that I kinda also want you around because you're the prettiest girl in school," she slipped out carefully, rubbing her neck with a grin, "I mean, I would take Ethan- because let's be real, he's fabulous enough to be second prettiest- but I have to leave him behind."

A small blush spread my cheeks, slightly caught off guard by the compliment. With a small stumble, I answered, "I wouldn't mind tagging along, seeing as you're making it impossible to say no."

"Learned it from Ethan," she grinned, "He said that if I want to get a cute girl to hang out with me, I have to be smooth."

Before I could stumble out another word, Ethan somehow managed to trip over his own feet, falling onto his side as a result. With a surprised quack he wiggled about, attempting to pick himself back up but couldn't. Suddenly after a couple tries, he stopped and laid there in his despair. It was the end for him, he just knew it.

"Well obviously I have to be smoother than him," Sakura continued with a roll of her eyes, leaning across the table to help him up, "I seriously hope you outgrow this whole thing of not being able to get yourself up, bro, or you'll have some trouble with your life."

I laughed as Ethan stood back up with Sakura's help before waddling someplace else on the table. Soon after, the bell rang.

"Just meet me at the parking lot," she informed with a smile, "I should be there, hanging around."

"Alright," I replied happily, "See you then."

"Yeah, see ya," she waved.

"Bye Ethan," I called as I walked towards the door. He quacked in reply before I left the classroom with a small smile.

X

As I walking out of the school building and towards the student parking lot, I saw Tayuya standing in a random spot with her arms crossed. She had her headphones in, looking ahead as if she was searching for something- or someone- as the kids funneled out and streamed right in front of her. I watched for a moment, curious, but she caught my eyes seconds later. She raised her hand in a small wave, but didn't look as if she was flagging me down. Now even more curious, I weaved through the students to see what was up.

"Hey," she greeted as she took off her head phones while I stepped towards her.

"Hi," I replied, then asked with a small raise of my eyebrow, "What are you up to?"

"Looking for Kiba," she answered as her eyes went back to searching, "I was trying to catch him before he hopped on the bus or catches a ride with Kankuro or something."

"You need to tell him something?" I guessed as I turned around to help with the search.

"The gang wanted to go out and skate," she explained with a huff while running her fingers through her hair before tugging her beanie back on, "But I need to tell him I can't make it."

"Well that's going to bum him out," I frowned, already seeing Kiba's let down expression.

"Something came up," she sighed in response, "I would love to go, and I mean what I have to do shouldn't take that long, but I most likely won't make it."

"What is it that you have to get done?" I asked, thinking that I could possibly help.

"Nothing you need to bother yourself with," she answered with a sincere smile.

I was just about to smile back and tell her good luck so I could catch up with Sakura, who I knew was waiting, but just then a girl popped up from behind us- and not just any girl, the mystery girl from the party. She put her arms around Tayuya's shoulder from behind, successfully pulling a frown at my lips as my eyebrows came together during the scene.

"Yoya! What the hell is taking you so long?" She complained in a whine, her long brunette hair tumbling onto Tayuya's shoulder as she continued to hang on.

My frown pulled even more at the nickname.

"Karin," Tayuya called out in surprise, her glance worryingly shifting to mine before she stumbled out, "I told you to wait in the car. I'm waiting for Kiba."

"You're taking too long," Karin groaned with a small pout. Her designer glasses slipped down her nose as she slid to the side of Tayuya, her body pressed against her while she continued to complain, "It's been hours, and I was starting to get hot."

"More like five minutes," Tayuya replied with a nervous laugh, carefully pulling away from Karin while offering an arm towards my direction, "This is my friend from school."

By some miracle, the oblivious girl spared me a glance for the first time, as if finally realizing I was standing there. She made no attempt to hide the look over she gave me seconds later. With a smirk tugging at her lips, she spoke with obvious fake sincerity, "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't even notice you there. It's so nice to meet you, my name is Karin."

Carefully hiding my glare and deep frown, I responded with the least amount of bite in my tone as I could muster, "Hi Karin, my name is Ino."

"I've heard so much about you," she gushed, her piercing eyes deceiving the perfect smile she was showering me with, "And Tayuya was right, you're so _adorable_."

My lip twitched as I gave all my strength into not glaring a hole into her forehead. Setting my jaw, I replied politely, "Well unfortunately, I have heard nothing of you, I never even caught your name in any of our conversations. I'm sure she just forgot to mention you all the times we hung out."

Surprisingly enough, despite my rudeness smothered with good manners, she smiled even more. This time showing me her perfect set of teeth, she laughed light heartedly and brushed me off expertly, "Oh well, I'm not surprised, I'm nowhere _near_ as fabulous as _you._ I mean, I would have never thought of putting such random clothes together. It's so… _creative._ I'm jealous."

My fist tightened at my sides, not being stupid enough to believe her 'complement'. She was basically bashing me with a smile and a choice of slick words, which pissed me off even more. If she had something against my style of clothing, then she should just say it flat out.

So I could in turn tell her how I had something against her flawless little face, and how I figured it would look better with my fist driving into it.

"Uh," Tayuya interrupted with a trip of her words as she attempted to break up our conversation, "Well it's awesome you guys got a chance to meet, but Karin seriously just go wait. It should only be a couple more minutes."

"We have to hurry up, Yoya," Karin replied simply before beaming a smile towards me, "I'm sorry, but unfortunately enough, I'll be stealing Tayuya away now."

Why did those words seem so irritatingly familiar? Before I could question it any more, Tayuya cut in, "I still need to find Kiba."

"You can call him," Karin responded with her eyes sliding away from me. As soon as they did, her whole demeanor changed. She gave another pout and whined, "Come on, we're going to be late for our date."

I'm sorry, but did I hear that correctly?

"I'm just helping you with groceries," Tayuya choked out with another nervous laugh, "Stop messing around, people will start getting the wrong idea."

"Let them," Karin laughed in a carefree manner, slipping her eyes across her green frames to with another smooth smile. Then with a voice so sweet it made me sick to my stomach, she apologized, "Sorry again, but we are going to go ahead and leave now. It was really nice meeting you. I hope we see each other again."

Not trusting myself enough to speak, I merely gave a tight smile and waved. As they turned their backs towards me and walked off, my face fell with a hard glare at Karin's back in particular. Setting my jaw, I turned and made my way to the student parking lot, grumbling under my breath as I did.

So that was the girl no one knew of, and the same girl who had her hands all over Tayuya at the party. I never expected to meet her, maybe because I assumed we were on two separate universes when it came to us both being Tayuya's friend; but now that I had, it was official.

I hated her fucking guts.

Two seconds of being in her face, and I already understood what type of person she was. It's surprising that Tayuya even hangs out with her, because she was so against anyone who was like Karin. And one word summed her up perfectly.

Fake.

I could hardly wrap my head around it, maybe because I was irritated. Even I had a limitation of who I could talk to, and Karin had successfully driven me up a wall in two minutes flat. I set my jaw and tried hard not to grind my teeth. I wanted to push what just happened out of my mind, but my mood was too hard to shake.

Why the hell would Tayuya bother being friends with someone like that? Was there something I was missing?

"Uh, Ino?"

I blinked and stopped in my tracks. Sakura stood there, leaning against her car with a worried expression. I hadn't realized I made it already, and was still a tad surprised to see her standing there. Seconds later though, I tumbled out a meek smile with a sigh.

"Sorry," I began as I walked towards the passenger car door, "I, uh, well I wasn't even paying attention."

"Well that's alright," Sakura replied with a smile, unlocking the car so we could both slip in, "I was just a tad worried you were going to run into me."

I laughed, "I must have really been out of it."

"Kinda," she admitted as she started up the car. With a huff, she turned towards me and looked me in the eyes before asking sincerely, "So, what's wrong?"

I bit my lip and turned away, wondering what I should say. Thing is, at this point, Sakura knew me too well to say anything but the truth. And honestly, venting sounded appealing, "My friend. She annoys the living piss out of me."

"Same one?" She asked carefully, backing out of her parking spot, "Well that has to be trouble, you know, for when there aren't toilets around."

Smiling, I rolled my eyes and informed, "Yes, the same one. And yes, imagine my frustration when I start streaming out little live breathing droplets of pee everywhere in the middle of public."

Sakura snorted out a laugh, which was a nice change seeing as it was usually the other way around. Tossing me a smile, she asked, "Alright, so what has she done now?"

"She just," I started, stopping once I realized I didn't know what to say. Huffing in frustration, I began again angrily, "She just annoys me. She's stupid, oblivious, probably doesn't even know I'm pissy with her. Like. What the hell is the point of keeping her around?"

"Well obviously she doesn't understand females," Sakura joked as we drove down the road, "I mean, come on. A blind duck could see that you're angry."

"Exactly!" I agreed as I began to make angry gestures with my hands, "I might as well replace her with a blind Ethan."

"A blind Sakura could notice too," she quickly offered with a glance towards me.

Smiling, I teased, "Well you can place you're resume in and I'll just have struggle to choose between the two of you."

"Oh, don't you go tugging me along," she waved me off with a pretend sad huff, "In the end, they always choose the duck."

"He's like Batman, you can't NOT choose him." I explained with a laugh.

"Correction, he is Batman, but that's beside the point!"

I giggled as we passed houses and traffic lights. Letting out a relieved sigh, because I was feeling a bit better, I looked out the window and asked, "So, where are we heading?"

"Allgoods," she replied while making a turn down a different street, "They have hardware stuff and basic cleaning supplies. It's a palace for making mischiefs with creative science experiments."

"Is that the only place we'll be going?" I questioned conversationally.

"Well, if we're lucky it should be a one stop shop spot, so most likely yeah," she shrugged in response, but then added with a small smile, "But I mean, if I'm smart, I'll draw out the process and end up going to five different stores."

"Oh, doesn't sound very smart to me," I teased.

"Spending my time with an exceedingly cute girl sounds smart to me."

Rolling my eyes, I turned away and mumbled, "I'm not that cute."

"Is that what you think?" She asked in a tone of surprise, "Hm. That's interesting."

"What's so interesting about it, it's true. I'm actually really plain looking," I went on with a huff, "But it's like I'm the only one who sees that. Well, me and one other girl that seemed to realize it the second she laid eyes on me." I added with an annoyed frown pulling at my lips as my thoughts wandered back to Karin.

"I guess it isn't up to me to convince you," Sakura shrugged as we entered the parking lot, "I mean there's obviously _noo_ way to change your mind, I doubt you would believe me anyway."

I bit my lip and agreed with a silent nod.

She accepted my answer, surprisingly enough, and didn't press the issue much further. Instead, she parked with a happy hum and we both hopped out the car shortly after. I've never been to Allgoods, because there wasn't much use for me to ever consider going, but it always stood in the same place as I passed the building for various reasons. It was kind of exciting going in, my eyes wandering to all the different objects that seemed towering with shelves that practically touched the very tall ceiling. I snapped out of it when Sakura grabbed the cart.

"I'll steer it for you," I offered as I walked over to take it.

"Cool," she replied happily without much objection, "We should probably check out the cleaning supplies first, grab some random stuff and then head towards the hardware."

"Okay," I nodded with a small smile, finding her excitement to be a tad cute.

As we walked through various isles, Sakura chattered idly about the things we should be looking for. And with each object she named, she would explain what it could do besides getting stains out from carpets or counters. With some things she went into detail, telling me stories of how she managed to find half of her knowledge of reactions with various cleaning supplies by herself or with her brother. Her laugh was real as she told her tales, but her smiles would turn distant shortly after. I kept quiet most of the time, not wanting to disturb her as she traveled through her own mind and her happy memories of her brother. But sometimes she wouldn't let me. She would turn to me, give me this silly little smile, and ask me what I did when I was a kid.

I admitted that I had a boring little life with my mom's cookies and a toy playground from my father, but she didn't believe it for a second. Instead, she seemed to be convinced that I had a whole different side to me, a curious one that got me into trouble half of the time.

I blinked, surprised, "Well, I am pretty curious, or so I've heard."

"I can tell," Sakura smiled with a half laugh, "I mean, the look in your eyes is similar to Ethan's."

"You're joking," I laughed as well, not believing her.

"No lie," she answered with a grin, "Ethan just might be your spirit animal."

Rolling my eyes, I reminded her, "You told me that he was yours."

"Because sometimes I'm unbelievably lame," she laughed while we turned into the hardware part of the store, "But don't tell him I said that, he'd get upset."

"Ethan is the coolest guy I know," I joked as she picked up a glue gun and tossed it into the cart, "There is no way he's lame. If anything, I'm not cool enough to be a spirit Ethan. I'm probably a fish, or something."

Sakura snorted before we continued our way down the aisle, "No way. Well hold on, maybe. There are some really pretty fish out there."

I blushed slightly before reminding her again, "I'm not that pretty, though."

"Oh yeah, right," she brushed me off with a nod and roll of her eyes, "Totally forgot. My bad."

"No problem," I replied as I stuck my tongue out at her.

She shook her head while we walked, but didn't retort with anything. We continued down the aisle for a bit before Sakura stopped out of nowhere. As if remembering something, she turned to me and said, "Hold on a second, kay? I'll be right back."

"Okay," I answered with a blink, wondering what she could have possibly forgotten but not bothering with asking questions. With a smile she jogged out of sight, leaving me to stand there. I looked around at the nearby shelves, trying to see if there was anything around to capture my interest enough to entertain me while Sakura was gone. When I was met with nothing but wood and nails, I sighed and strolled further down.

A couple of minutes passed without Sakura's return, leaving me incredibly bored. For a moment, I let go of the cart and wandered towards the different screws that were piled up into different little boxes, having a plastic display to open and expect the few that sat there. I leaned down and ran my eyes through all of them, but nothing caught my eye.

Minutes continued to tumble by without any sign of Sakura's return, and I started to grow restless. In the midst of my despair, an unexpected boy came running by. Out of breath, he looked up at me with helplessness, as if he was lost, but suddenly his eyes sparked with something more. As if realizing for the first time, he stood up straight in pure reaction and his breath was instantly caught. He stared for a moment, speechless, and I started to grow uncomfortable. Seconds later his mouth broke into a wide smile, and with a gasp he said, "Wow, you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

I had leaned down out of pure reaction, moments away of asking if the boy had needed help with something. What he had said surprised me, so much so that I found myself standing up straight with a raise of my eyebrows. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out; I was too caught off guard to do much. Breathless, I stumbled when I finally regained senses, "Oh, well… thanks so much."

The boy grinned so innocently that I found myself smiling as well, but I didn't know what else to say. It didn't matter, because he managed to magically find his sense of direction, but not before giving me a happy wave. I waved back absent mindedly, watching him run down the aisle before turning and leaving me alone again. I found it strange, whatever just happened, but didn't have the time to question it much. Not a minute before Sakura came walking towards me, water hose in her hand.

"Hey," she called with a grin, holding up the hose up as she made her way closer, "Sorry, I managed to get myself lost."

"Oh uh," I stumbled, still a bit confused with everything, "No problem. I, um… well I was just standing here."

"Ohh really?" She teased with a small smile as she dropped the hose in the cart, "What an epic tale, please tell me more."

"Well," I began, looking around for the boy I knew was long gone, "I… well… I don't know what exactly just happened, really."

"Hmm?" She hummed as we walked down the aisle.

"There was this kid," I explained with a small frown, attempting to remember his face, "I think he was a lost, and he came running towards me. I was just about to ask if he needed something, but before I could, he randomly told me I was the prettiest girl he's ever seen."

"Oh?" Sakura glanced towards me with a raise of her eyebrows, "Hm. Weird. But he isn't too far off. Actually I think he nailed it on the nose."

"I guess," I replied, too lost to argue, "But after that, he ran away. I didn't even catch his name, or if he knew where his parents was."

"I'm sure he's fine," she waved off with a grin, "I mean, how far could his parents be, right?"

"Yeah," I mumbled in reply, my mind still focused on the boy. Because I was so confused, me and Sakura didn't talk much as we finished up our shopping. Actually, the rest of the shopping seemed quick, and before I knew it we were at the checkout scanning all our items to pay and leave.

The price wasn't nearly as high as I thought it would be, actually everything we managed to grab seemed to be bottom dollar. As Sakura paid I searched for the small boy, unable to help myself. I guess I was hoping to see that he was ok, but I also wanted to catch one last glimpse of him. I wasn't able to find him as we walked out of the store, and it made me a bit sad. I couldn't help but admit that his compliment made me undeniably happy and I was just wishing him to be safe after all was said in done. Still, even though I wasn't able to find him, I knew he was fine. I'm sure his parents found him without a problem and he was happily skipping along with one of them.

I helped Sakura load up her car, and after that we were riding out of the parking lot. While we were waiting at the light, I asked, "So, are we going to a different store?"

"As much as I would love to keep you around, no," Sakura replied as she leaned back in her seat, waiting for the green light, "I was thinking I might just drop you off first and then go to the school to start packing the cabinets up."

"I could help," I offered.

"Nah, this trip is running way later than expected," she sighed out with a small smile, "You should be getting home to do homework and stuff soon."

"Won't it be a lot to do? The packing I mean," I asked as we pulled off.

"It isn't too much," she assured, "And Ethan will be there with me, if he's awake, so it isn't that much trouble."

"Alrighttttt, if that's what you want," I finished with a shrug.

"Yup, I'm tough enough to do it all myself," Grinning at me shortly as we drove down the road, she continued, "But you know what, today was fun."

"Yeah it was," I agreed with a smile of my own.

"So," she started slowly, her eyes carefully pulling away from mine, "Well why don't we go see a movie or something? Start hanging out more, or whatever."

"Asking me out on a date?" I teased as I watched her out the corner of my eyes.

"Great idea!" She gave another grin as she kept her eyes on the road, "Friday at 8, will you do me the extreme honor of allowing a peasant, such as myself, to take you on a lovely evening of processed food and carbonated drinks?"

"Oh me oh my," I responded with a western accent, "I have waited for this day, dreamingly watching you from afar. I would love to."

Sakura laughed and rolled her eyes, "Alright, but I mean it. Dates include you not paying for anything."

"Whattttt," I whined, not having thought of that, "You can't! Movies aren't cheap, and neither are sodas or popcorn. You'll go broke."

"It's lovely seeing how cheap you think I am," she commented with a smile, "And how broke you honestly believe me to be."

"I'll just feel super bad if you paid for anything," I explained, not bothering with arguing with her, "Will you at least let me buy the popcorn?"

"No," she stood firm as we turned into my neighborhood, "I mean it. You can't buy a thing. I'll even be dressing up in my finest clothes." I huffed, but she only smiled, "So, what movie did you want to see? Friday's are pretty busy; I should go ahead and reserve tickets."

"Something sappy," I answered with a scrunch of my nose.

"Alright," she replied happily.

Narrowing my eyes, I tried again, "Nope. I wanna see something completely scary."

Sakura's smile turned into a grin, "Well, I wouldn't mind that one bit. There's that one coming this weekend too. The one with the house, and like some ghost or something."

"Perfect," I said as I unbuckled my seat belt, noticing we were nearing my house.

"Alright then, I'll start preparing my extra set of underwear, you probably should too," Sakura joked, pulling into my driveway.

Rolling my eyes, I smiled and got out of the car, bending down to grab my school materials, "Sureee, whatever. Um, you should call me when you are finally able to get home, I wanna make sure you're safe."

"Ino, it's hardly even 6 yet," she pointed out with a small smile.

"Yeah but still," I pressed, "It's starting to get dark earlier, and I already feel bad for leaving you to do the rest of the work."

"Alright alright, not like I'm complaining," she shrugged with a grin, "I get to have a cute girls number."

I rolled my eyes, moving to grab my pen and a piece of scrap paper out of my bag. Quickly scribbling my number down, I bent down to hand it to her and reminded, yet again, "I'm not that cute."

"Oh, right, forgot again," Sakura brushed off as she took the slip of paper, "I guess that boy at the store had the complete wrong idea too, huh?"

"Yes," I replied stubbornly.

She laughed with a shake of her head, but then shrugged and didn't press it anymore. I said my goodbyes and waved as she backed out of my drive way. A smile slipped my lips as she honked a couple of times before driving away, and I stood there until she was out of sight. With a sigh, I began moving towards my front door, my mind already wandering to the homework I knew I should do first and foremost.

But, as my foot hit the first step of the porch, I was suddenly struck by a thought. Turning around, I looked down the road where Sakura had gone down, and watched in silence, my idea slowly putting itself into words. With a shake of my head, a small smile pulled at my lips; I can't believe I didn't catch on sooner.

That little boy from today at the store; I had no doubt that Sakura had planned that out herself, sneakily doing it while she was getting the hose she had 'forgotten'. My tummy churned as I rolled my eyes, my smile tugging even more as I walked up the steps.

What a complete dork. Of course she would do something so…

Achingly cute.

* * *

(1) – No song. I've been without internet for like DAYS. Haven't even had the time to find something good.

**Oh Sakura, you'll be winning the votes of the ladies/gentlemen tonight. Such a tug of war. Tayuya or Sakura! TAYUYA OR SAKURA. Smooth remarks with a smirk OR dork swag that does little cutesy stuff.**

**Honestly it's tough, even for me.**

**NO, I do not have internet yet. Let's not talk about it, it bums me out. Ok wait no, you have to know. Alright I don't get the internet set up till tuesday, but that being said, I'll be directing my attention to LEAGUE OF LEGENDS that day. Oh don't give me that look, you fucking knew this was coming. YOU KNEW THIS. I HAVEN'T PLAYED IN TWO MONTHS. I've been, like, scratching my arm with withdraws about not playing that damn game.**

**So theres that.**

**Monday I have to see my recruiter, and Wednesday I get to see my job list for the navy, so that'll be an ALL day thing. Pretty much gonna be out of commission for the next week. TROLOLOLOL.**

**Stahp it. I still love you. So you HAVETAH still love me.**

**Oh, and baddies of the bad. If you play league and totally wanna take a quick course in trolling 101, add me. Shycadet. Use it for everything. It'll be fun. We'll skype, get all nervous, and then troll! IT'LL BE FUN. okay we don't have to skype.**

**Ok so I'm not that popular or good, so you don't have to add me.**

**But just throwing it out there. I'm approachable! LOOK AT MY DESCRIPTION ON MY PROFILE. IT SAYS SO UP THERE, SO LIKE IT'S TRUE.**

**Kay. I think I'm scaring away half of my fans. **

**Read. Review. Sustain. spam me with stuffs. Love yous.**

**Shycadet out.**


	23. Strength

**A/N - **Oh and btw. Shy just updated twice in one day.

Blowing your mind yet? I HOPE SO.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter- Fox Stevenson - Sandblast_

Tayuya must have realized her mistake. It wasn't very hard to tell that she was trying extremely hard to help keep me in a good mood, probably hoping that I didn't kick her out of my room early like the last two nights. So, Wednesday night when she came knocking at my window, she brought over something special. Actually, it surprised me because I hadn't expected it.

She brought me a flower. Just one. But it wasn't any flower.

"I, uh, was walking down the road," Tayuya explained nervously as I stood there in front of her, looking at the delicate yellow flower that was between her fingers, "And I remembered about that trail we took, you know, that night of our first 'date'. Well… I walked through it to think, and to do a bit of smoking, but before I could light up I noticed this flower. And, um… it reminded me of you."

I was still a bit speechless, but slowly my face melted into a soft smile as I sighed and took the flower from her hand. Unable to help myself, I brought it to my nose, carefully taking in the faint sweet scent. Pulling away, I looked up at Tayuya to see her nervously rubbing her neck with her beanie pulled low. It was hard to see her face, because my light was off, but I could easily imagine her nervously avoiding my eyes.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I mumbled, "Well that was sweet. Thanks for bringing it to me."

"No problem," she stumbled out with a nervous laugh, "I, um, was just hoping it got you to smile."

God, who was this girl standing in front of me right now? She couldn't be the same smooth taunting Tayuya I met that night on my roof, she just couldn't be. This girl was acting like she couldn't string simple sentences together, and was as nervous as I felt half the time when I was around her. It was different seeing her like this.

And a tad adorable.

"Well, I totally smiled," I admitted softly before turning to put the flower in my pencil jar, wondering if I could steal away something else from the kitchen to help it live longer.

"Ha, that's- good. I'm glad." She forced out awkwardly.

Rolling my eyes, I turned back towards her, watching as she stood there while I leaned against my dresser. After a few moments of silence, I began carefully, "So, what did you want to do?"

"Um, I actually rented a movie for tonight," she replied, holding up a dvd box, "Supposed to be scary. I thought it could be fun."

I raised my eyebrows, my mind wandering to Sakura and the scary movie we were supposed to see. Noticing the strange coincidence, I replied, "Well sure, that's sounds cool. Go ahead and put it in."

She moved at the command, and as she fiddled with the dvd player I hopped into bed. Grabbing my phone, I unlocked it to entertain myself as I waited, but noticed I had a message.

From Sakura.

She was complaining about having no more peanut butter and demanded that I go get her some.

A smile pulled my lips as I snorted out a quiet laugh. Expertly using my thumbs, I reminded her that I was not the peasant here, she was.

Just as Tayuya was turning around, I locked my phone and stretched myself out, hoping to block her from climbing onto the bed. When she noticed the childish game I was playing, she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, looking down at me, "Come on brat, give me some room."

"Nope," I replied with a smile toying at my lips, "No room, sorryyyy."

"Right, no room," she repeated while giving me a face, "I'm giving you to the count of three or I'll be moving you myself."

"You can't make me," I huffed.

"Is that seriously what you believe?" She retorted while shoving her hands in her pockets and leaning down. Looking me in my eyes, she continued quietly, "I'm not sure you want me to force you princess. Better just go ahead and give in."

"No." I answered stubbornly.

"One," she warned while slowly standing up straight.

I simply watched her with the cross of my arms.

"Two." She counted, patiently watching my eyes.

I gave her a sneer.

With a sigh, she shook her head. Before I could taunt her much more, she smoothly placed her knee between my spread legs, her other pressed against my hip. Her hands sat on either side of me of my head, and her eyes shortly became dangerously close to mine. The quickness of her proximity caused me to give out a small squeak as I shrunk away from her as much as I could, but there was no use. I felt her breath and watched her smile pull slowly.

Nervous Tayuya was gone, leaving me with nothing but the girl I knew by heart.

Without much effort, she whispered, "And that will be three, princess."

"I call cheats," I breathed out, biting my lip and looking away from her, "You pounced at two."

"You weren't going to move," she countered as she leaned closer, "Kinda glad you didn't, to be honest."

"You're supposed to be forcing me," I reminded her nervously, her breath causing a short shiver to quake through me.

"Oh, I am," she grinned before moving to my left ear and muttering, "Just in a way that I prefer. But if you want me to put hands on you, I will."

God. Swallowing, I informed, "This isn't forcing."

"You don't think so?" Laughing as I shrunk away even more, she boasted, "You're squirming with me just hovering here. I doubt it will take much for you to give me my way."

I hated that she was right, and I wanted to stubbornly state that I was perfectly fine, but I knew that would only provoke her. Taking a breath, I turned back to her eyes, watching how they glowed mischievously. What annoyed me most was her confidence, and how the aura around her practically dripped with a sense of victory. Narrowing my eyes, I challenged, "Well that's where you're wrong."

"That was a mistake," she answered with a smirk, "I'll go ahead and let that slide. Obviously you don't know what you're saying."

"But I do," I pressed, eyes steadily watching hers as I refused to back down, "Plus I doubt you would do much more. So I have to say you're pretty weak."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise, but a smooth smile came shortly after. Leaning down, she muttered quietly, "Them be fighting words, princess. Are you sure you want to see what I'm capable of?"

"I'd be more surprised to see if you're capable of anything at all," I retorted with a smirk.

A soft laugh slipped past her lips as she watched me, "I must have pressed a nerve, seeing as you're becoming so bold." Then, leaning down to my ear with her cheek brushing against mine, she whispered, "But I have to admit, you're really hot when you're stubborn."

I bit my lip and kept still, waiting to see if I've won. My stomach was twisting tightly but my heart was thumping in a slow beat. My breath was even and steady, which I was grateful for because it was showing my false sense of calm. Being completely truthful, I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect, because I never saw Tayuya's playful teasing go past just that.

Teasing.

But being under her now, with her body so close and her breath dancing across my ear and neck, I realized how dangerous she could be. And I wondered if she would show me exactly how dangerous she was.

"But you being stubborn is going to get you into a lot of trouble tonight, Ino," she warned softly as I felt her hand grab my waist carefully. Slowly moving it downward, I felt her cold fingers dip into my shirt as she mumbled, "And I'm willing to go as far as you're willing to let me, seeing as you think this is some sort of game."

My heart sunk as she pushed up my shirt at my hips, her palm gently running across my skin. The cold air from outside- because we had forgotten to close the window- bit at my exposed belly relentlessly. Instantly I let out a chilled breath, only to get it caught at my throat as I felt Tayuya's lips touch my neck. Then, without allowing me time to think, I felt her tongue slip across the skin she had sealed between her teeth, gently pulling with a nip before shifting to another spot completely.

"Tayuya," I breathed out, struggling to find words, and sense for that matter. Every move from her was fogging my mind over, and I was starting to forget what this was about.

"Mm, can't you see I'm busy trying to win," she mumbled to my call, her free hand gliding down the bed to grab mine. Twisting her fingers with my own before pulling them up over my head, she growled while gliding her lips across my neck, "Unless you are surrendering, leave me alone."

I opened my mouth to reply, but quickly forgot when she lowered her nipping to my shoulder. At the same time, she was tugging my shirt up higher, getting dangerously close to my heaving chest. Sucking in a breath as she bit me again, I stumbled out weakly, "Would you-" I stopped to bite my lip and shut my eyes tight, trying hard to ignore her tongue.

"Anything," she answered while pulling back up to my ear. Her breath was hot as her fingernails scratched my hip gently, "I would do absolutely anything."

I swallowed, opening my eyes and watching the ceiling as her lips locked onto my skin once more. But instead of nipping and moving on, she stayed there. Agonizingly slow, she sucked my skin while running her tongue across. My mouth slid open as I took a breath, the pulse running through me getting harder and harder to ignore. Soon my eyes closed out of pure reaction and my fingers twitched against hers. She squeezed my hand and kept sucking, her knee shifting as she began to slip.

The dip between my legs was getting closer.

"Stop," I managed to say weakly, not having the strength for much more. My fingers twitched again as Tayuya nipped before pulling away to whisper, "Make me."

I made a sound I've never heard before, and to stop myself from doing it again I bit my lip hard enough to make it bleed. Whining, I asked, "How."

"Tell me you'll move," she informed, grazing her teeth against my earlobe before tugging it, "That's what I've been waiting to hear. Well that… and a moan."

"Stop," I whimpered out again as she went back to sucking at my skin. Her hum was taunting as she began to nip at the start of my jaw, "Those aren't the right words, princess."

I knew they weren't, and I knew what I had to say, but the pulse was becoming a painful throb, and crazily enough… I didn't know if I wanted her to stop. My heart was literally beating a mile per minute, and I was practically gasping for breath. I don't remember feeling anything like this when I made out with my other boyfriends, and maybe it was because of that that I allowed her to continue nipping up my jaw.

Edging towards my lips with each shift she made.

"Tayuya," I whispered out, squeezing her hand tightly.

"Tell me," she replied, her voice sounding a bit desperate now, "Why are you being so stubborn."

I shook my head silently, letting her give me another nip up my jaw. She was inches away now, I could almost taste her. Her nips became soft kisses, and the distance was becoming short and shorter between each one, prolonging what we both saw coming if she didn't stop.

"Ino," It was the first time she called to me, and the sound hitched my breath. She was practically begging as she whispered my name out.

When I didn't respond, she placed another aching kiss closer to my lips.

Then another…

And one more…

But suddenly she pulled away, practically throwing herself off of me as she sat at the edge of my bed.

"God damn it, Ino," she cursed angrily, tugging off her beanie to stressfully run her hand through her hair.

I simply laid there, heaving in my breaths as I stared at the ceiling.

"Fuck," I heard Tayuya whisper to herself as she leaned forward to rub her eyes. Her words were muffled as she kept her hands there, covering her face as she continued tiredly, "You win, alright? God."

Closing my eyes, I rolled over and curled near the wall, my back away from her and the TV. Her voice was broken and flat as she congratulated me, and I could hear the shaky breaths she was taking. Shutting my eyes tight, I wished my banging heart would simply disappear because I didn't feel victorious at all.

Instead, I felt bit sad, and quietly I wondered what had stopped her.

And hated to think that Karin was part of the reason.

* * *

(1) - watch?v=7vYSND5HTps ) Boom. Music for your ears.

**Whoa there, Team Sakuras, let me slap you in a face with a sexy Tayuya attack.**

**And let us respect Tayuya for making the HEART WRENCHING decision to stop. That takes strength. So be a good sport and give her a slow clap.**

**I mean, Im giving her a slow clap myself. Like, the fuck? I would have been all over that**

**Just kidding, I have no game. Hardy har har.**

**Oh my secret to updating? I found out that there was free wifi at the clubroom at our apartment place. LOL right?! Like how the hell did I NOT think of this. But let me remind you that the clubroom closes at like 7...**

**Which leads me to admit that I'm sitting in the gym that's _RIGHT NEXT _to the club room, and currently sitting on top of a treadmill which forces me to reflect on my life decisions.**

**Like how I totally skipped out on excising today to update twice.**

**Oh cruel world, I take your signs and respectfully THROUGH THEM BACK IN YO FACE. Cuz I updated TWICE. If my fans are happy, I am happy.****  
**

**SO BOOM**

**Shycadet 2016. Out.**


	24. Hidden Feelings

**A/N - **As I have stressed to a particular cute girl, Friday the 13th posts are ABSOLUTELY vital. So for all of your faces out there, heres a chapter to kick off your wild unavoidable abundant amount of bad luck.

So, lets get this started kids.

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Zedd - Stay The Night (feat. Hayley Williams) &_ Synx - Hidden feelings

I gave up trying on figuring out what was happening with me and Tayuya. It's like one second we were fine, and the next we were back in that boat of being angry, annoyed, awkward, or just simply weird with each other. Maybe it was just me who was being complicated, but it was hard to come to that conclusion because at lunch the next day we both avoided each other's eyes.

It was like some mutual agreement to simply ignore each other.

And it was obvious that Wednesday night was still lingering in both our minds. But I just… Didn't want to deal with it. Well, more like I didn't want to question anything anymore, because the answers I would give myself will land me right next to a certain annoying, fake smiling, trash complimenting _girl_ that seemed to have Tayuya under some sort of spell.

Karin.

I sat there on my front porch, bare legs brushing against my arms as I brought my knees closer towards my chest. My eyes fell to the ground as I frowned with my thoughts wandering, unable to help in wondering what Tayuya was up to now, seeing as it was Friday night. Biting my lip, I hoped she wasn't with Karin and was actually hanging with her friends, but Kankuro had messaged me an hour ago asking if she was over at my place.

Of course she wasn't, didn't they know I was replaced?

I sighed and chastised myself that I wasn't being fair, and there was a possibility she was doing something completely different. But god. Why did that idiot have to be so scares all the time? Why was she never simply easy to find, or where she was supposed to be.

The wind nipped at me lightly, but I was too lazy to go get a jacket. So instead I sat there, pretending not to think of Tayuya when I literally couldn't push her out of my mind.

In the midst of my lonely thoughts, I heard a car door shut. Blinking, I looked up to see Sakura there, dark grey and black varsity jacket on, but of course there was a batman logo on it. The sight of her shoving her hands in her jean pockets and walking over slipped a small smile to my lips, but I didn't bother with standing up yet. Instead, I allowed her to come closer.

She continued to walk towards me slowly, giving me a lazy grin, "Come on, Ino, you have to be a little more excited than that. This is a date, after all, and you're first reaction in seeing me is making me a tad nervous."

"Why would you be nervous?" I teased.

"Because I'm taking the prettiest girl in school to the movies," she replied truthfully with a roll of her eyes, as if the answer should have been obvious, "It's enough to make anyone nervous."

I opened my mouth to argue, but she gave me a look that stopped me in my tracks. Steadily, she began while looking in my eyes, "Don't. If you haven't noticed, you aren't going to convince me. I wouldn't think for a second that you're not as breathtaking as I honestly believe. So why don't you direct you're attention on something else."

Blushing, I stayed silent for a moment, not knowing what to say. It didn't matter, because her last command was literal. She slowly extended her hand to me, as if offering to help me stand up. I was just about to take it carefully, but her seemingly empty hand flicked faster than my eyes could catch.

And suddenly sat between her fingers was a playing card.

But it didn't have an ace or king on it; instead there was a picture of a baby duck in the middle. On top of it were some twisted words dancing around the card.

_Watch out. You're so pretty I could ab-DUCK-t you._

I read the words, and instantly a smile pulled at my lips. A laugh slipped out as well before I rolled my eyes and looked back up to Sakura, who was giving me a grin. Breathing out another single laugh, I shook my head and took the card from her carefully, "I can't believe you just did that."

"That literally just happened," she admitted without shame, smile still on her face. Then, she offered me her other hand, and said quietly, "Come on, let me show you a good time."

Her words were smoother than what she was known for, so much so that I found my stomach flipping gently. I took her hand, and she delicately helped me up in a way that made me feel like a princess. And when she walked me to the car, and even opened my door, she didn't let go of my hand. Instead she waited until I slipped in and sat comfortably before dragging her fingers away, closing my door gently afterwards.

Soon she was in the car as well and shortly after we were driving off. We didn't talk much at first, and to accommodate for the silence she put on some music to. I sat there quietly, my eyes wandering to the card in my hand. I would have smiled all over again if the same one wasn't still on my face.

Even I had to admit that trick was a tad adorable, and I couldn't help but feel a bit prettier because of it.

"So, Ino, anything interesting happen at school today?" Sakura asked carefully as we traveled down the road.

"No," I answered, pulling my eyes away from my card, "I kind of just… waited for the day to end."

"Oh, for this spectacular date?" She nodded as if understanding, tossing me a teasing smile as she continued, "I bet you were at the edge of my seat."

"Maybe I was," I taunted back with a roll of my eyes, "I couldn't contain my excitement, I was too anxious to see _everything _you had in stored for me."

"Good good," she replied, but turned away with a suspicious smile, "Well I'll try to meet your standards tonight."

"Peasants usually don't make the cut," I joked, turning to look out the window.

"Oh, and let me guess, ducks usually do?" She huffed back. I snorted as she ranted, "Even when that guy isn't here, he's stealing the ladies."

"Then why don't you fight him for them," I asked, glancing at her to give a small smile.

"Because as far as I'm concerned, I'm only worried about just one," she explained nonchalantly, while she looked down the road, "The fact that she isn't going out with Ethan right now, but instead with me, kinda shows how hard I had to fight this guy. I mean, the man has pecs," she paused for a moment, and her eyes slipped to mine before adding, "But I'm willing to fight anyone for her."

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Blushing, I quickly looked away and stumbled, "Sounds like a lucky girl."

"I hope you aren't too jealous," I heard her respond from behind, but I was too nervous to turn back around.

"Should I be?" I forced out, hoping I could regain myself while I mindlessly chattered.

"No," she answered simply, "She's kinda been the only one on my mind since the day I met her."

I bit my lip and struggled to get my mouth working, but I couldn't think of anything to say. Was she always so ridiculously causal with her unreasonable comments? I wasn't sure, and I didn't have the time to wonder about it too much as we cruised in silence. Moments passed before she struck up conversation again, her words not sounding nearly as nervous as I felt.

"So, scary movie huh? Are you even prepared for this?"

I could name so much more that I wasn't prepared for, but instead I replied, "Yes, it shouldn't be too scary."

"Is that what you think?" She snorted, "Have you not seen the trailer?"

"No."

Her laugh was short, and without meaning to, I found myself glancing at her again. She gave me a grin that slowly melted away my nerves and informed, "Well it's a good thing you didn't, or we might not have been going to this movie tonight."

I rolled my eyes, not believing it could be that bad. It didn't matter though, because seconds later we were at the movie theater parking lot. It was filled with teenagers walking towards the entrance, and it took a bit to find parking, but when we did Sakura hopped out quickly to get my door.

And I gave her a small smile as I thanked her.

My shorts might have been a mistake to wear, because it was getting colder and colder outside. With a moment's thought, I realized it had to be freezing in the movie theater, because it usually was. It didn't take long for me to deduce that I was probably going to be miserable trying to watch this movie, shivering with my arms struggling to keep me warm.

Because Sakura had so cleverly reserved the tickets, we didn't have to wait in the humongous line. Instead we walked straight to the entrance, Sakura opening the door for me again, and stood in the huge dome in the middle of the room.

"Why don't you go to the game room," she offered as people passed us by, "I'll go ahead and buy the popcorn and stuff."

I gave her a look, but she only grinned. Her carefree expression was too hard to fight against, and I found myself losing the round. Rolling my eyes, I waved her off as I gave in, "Alright. I'll be waiting in there."

"Oh, wait," she stopped me before I could walk away, "What's your favorite candy?"

My eyes narrowed at her.

She gave me another grin.

Hating myself for giving in again, I admitted, "Reeses."

"You look like a girl of peanut butter and chocolate," she teased, laughing as I gave her a glare. With a small wave, she began to depart, "Alright alright, go wait. I'll be right there."

So I wandered to the game room, glancing around at everyone that was there. You would expect kids bouncing around and screaming, but it was the opposite. Instead there were more teenagers here; most of them grouped up into pairs, and almost all looked like couples as they held hands. I grew slightly uncomfortable with looking at them, and slowly made my way to the only thing that was free: the claw machine.

It looked pretty lonely, with almost all its toys gone. I thought it sad that the movie theater people hadn't bothered to stack the glass box to the brim again, seeing as they couldn't make any cash without decent toys inside. But out of the few remaining teddy bears and stuffed balls, was this cute duck with floppy orange feet and a yellow fluffy body. It was on its side by the glass, making it too close to the ground for the claw to reach, or so I assumed. It's the only thing I could think of as to why no one had gotten it yet, because it was too cute to be left behind unwanted.

Glancing around, I saw a couple kissing in one of the race car booths. Feeling uncomfortable all over again, I turned back to the duck sitting in its glass cage, looking lifeless as it stared at the ground. Feeling as if I couldn't leave the poor thing there, I searched for a quarter in one of my pockets, and then my purse, but both turned empty.

Bummer.

Just as I was about to sigh and walk off, I found I quarter on the ground, half of its body still out just from under the machine. With a small smile at my insignificant luck, I bent down and grabbed it, looking at the machine in determination. Seconds after I pepped myself up, saying that I could do this and save this young animal in need, I slipped the quarter into the slot, and the machine hummed to life with its red counting numbers and soft jingle.

My claw twitched open, and with a bite of my lip, I began to tug it towards the direction of the duck. I kept looking at the side glass, bumping the old control stick into what I thought was the perfect position. I had placed it right above the duck, and there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to have him for myself. But just as I was about to press the red button, a hand wrapped around my fingers.

"Whoa there, not yet," Sakura mumbled from right behind me, her chest pressing against my back and shoulder as she pulled at the controller with my hand still wrapped around her fingers. I was a bit surprised on how she showed up, but the clock that was counting was getting dangerously low and I couldn't even bother with being nervous about anything but the duck inside.

"I had it perfect," I told her, watching as she pulled the claw along the side of the glass, and feeling her fingers twitched as she nudged it a little more.

"You're a little off," she explained with a distracted mumbled, concentrating on the last few tugs of the claw she could do while the clock was quickly running out.

I didn't understand what she meant, because the claw was completely out of position _now_ that she moved it. And all too soon the counter died with a sink of my heart. It was impossible to get him now that Sakura pulled the claw away from it. And with a sigh, I watched the claw fall down slowly too far too the right.

But suddenly the claw bounced against the glass wall gently, forcing it to go a different angle completely. Now half way on its side, the claw opened while it continued its descend to the left, and to my absolute amazement, wrapped its arms around the duck and pulled it up without any trouble.

"What the," I muttered, still star struck at the sight.

We both watched as traveled across the cage and landed with a soft plump into the opening hatch. I couldn't even explain what just happened, but Sakura didn't bother with being surprised at all. Instead she pulled her fingers away from mine and bent down to grab the duck. Lazy grin on her face, she held it out to me and commented, "Good work, that was awe inspiring."

I took the duck, silently looking at its wide eyes. It reminded me of Ethan, and with a small smile, I shook my head and looked back up at Sakura. She gave me another grin, but I wasn't at all fooled. She had to have magic powers; it was the only way that could of work.

"How did you even do that?" I asked as she moved away from me to grab the popcorn, drinks, and candy.

"What are you talking about, you're the one who did it," she responded, pretending not to understand. But I wasn't going to let her get away with it so easily. Helping her with the drinks with the duck carefully between my arm and body, I pressed, "You weren't even on top him, but the claw just magically grabbed him. How did you do it?"

"Well, I'll go and admit that it was close to magic, but not really same thing," she laughed as we walked towards the ticket taker, "It was science, of course."

"Science?" I repeated with a blink.

"Yup, science," she nodded, glancing back at me with a smile. I gave her a look, but she only shrugged and turned around, handing the man both of our tickets. When we were both admitted in, she continued while we walked down the hall, "Magic and science could be argued that they are the same, and I guess in a way they are. It's just that, science can be explained and magic cannot."

"So you can explain exactly how you managed to get this duck?" I asked as I followed her.

"Yes," she answered happily, grabbing some popcorn and lightly tossing it in her mouth, "But the thing is, you can't explain it at all. So to me it was science, and to you it was magic."

I took a moment to understand what she was saying, and after a couple of seconds I started slowly, "So, why don't you explain it to me then, the science of it?"

"Because the fact you thought it was magic in the first place makes me unexplainably happy," she answered simply as we neared our theater number, "And I think that's part of the reason I took you out tonight."

I blushed slightly as she tossed me another smile, but instead of pressing the subject any further, she allowed me to fall silent. Opening the door for me again, even with drinks and popcorn in her hand, we both slipped into the dark theater. We had managed to make it just as the previews had started, but the place was practically packed to the brim.

But clever Sakura was one step ahead. I'm not sure how she even pulled it off, but she reserved the two perfect seats in the middle of the theater, right angles and all. So we didn't have to wander up and down the aisle, hoping for an opening to pop up. Instead we walked right to the two empty seats and sat down with no problem.

She slipped the bar between us upward, to allow our two seats to practically become one. It made me slightly nervous at first, but then I realized she was only doing it to place our popcorn and candy between us. As expected, she got me Reeses, but got herself a huge thing of skittles. She offered me some, and I accepted with a smile.

The previews were epic and reminded me why I loved going to the movies so much. Soon after, the theater fell completely dark and an eerie silence swept over the room as the movie started. Sakura nudged me at the title, grinning as she mouthed that she hoped I brought my second thing of underwear. I rolled my eyes, not convinced at all that this was going to scare pee out of out of me.

But fifteen minutes in, I will admit I jumped and squeaked.

I understood now why she said that if I saw the previews, I wouldn't have come. The plot of the movie was so severely twisted; I honestly began to wonder how I was going to sleep tonight. As the screen continued to strike fear into me, I hid more and more behind my duck, hoping to be saved from the images even though I kept peaking to see what would happen next.

Twice I jumped practically right into the half empty popcorn bag and empty candy wrappers, and it was enough to convince Sakura that I wouldn't be stopping any time soon. So she placed everything on the floor next to our feet, and after offered to sit closer if I wanted. Her amused smile made me want to say no, to prove that I was a warrior and that I could get through the movie, but before I could shake my head I jumped again, and landed myself right next to her, shoulder to shoulder. She laughed to herself, but kept quiet, and I was grateful for that, because she preserved my dwindling dignity. And we sat like that for a while.

Until I grabbed her arm at another scary part.

After it passed, I realized what I was clinging too and shifted to move away, but she wouldn't let me. Instead, she wrapped her arm around me, and to be honest it wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. She was comfortable, cozy and warm with a dash of safe. I found myself leaning against her more and more as the movie went on, even bringing my legs up to help warm them up as well.

Sometimes she would lean to my ear, teasing softly that I was cute when I squeaked. I blushed and punched her in her side carefully, but she only laughed and pulled me closer. So I laid there with her, holding my duck like some child. With each jump I would curse at myself and promise I wouldn't do it again. But, of course, I didn't stop throughout the whole movie.

Eventually it ended, a bit too soon if you asked me. Maybe it was because I was enjoying being so close to someone.

No. That couldn't be it. It was because of the ending, fast with no explanation as to why everyone died. They basically just said this movie was a true story, and people just murdered for no reason. And ghosts didn't give two shits about human lives, and loved to frick with everyone's mind by haunting them.

Why the hell would the make such a thing!

The lights slowly came on, and everyone chattered as they began to stand up and leave. Sitting up myself, I slipped on my sandals and whined, "Why did you keep me from coming here?"

"Come on, it wasn't that bad," Sakura replied with a smile, leaning down to pick up our mess.

"You knew it was going to be this bad!" I accused, bending down to help to help as well, but she wouldn't let me. Huffing, I stood up and crossed my arms around my duck, rubbing at my skin a bit as the A/C continued to blow on me, "You should have told me, 'Ino. You don't want this. Let's see Sunshine Speck Kiss' instead."

"Did you honestly wanna see that sappy movie?" She asked with a laugh, putting everything in the popcorn bag before grabbing both of our drinks to toss them all away. She allowed me to lead as I responded, "Maybe! It would have been better than this."

"Oh cut it out," she snorted, walking down the stairs behind me, "It wasn't that scary."

"Totally was," I retorted with a grumble.

"Well how about this," she started, throwing everything away and turning to me with a smile, "Why don't you call me tonight if you can't sleep, and I'll keep you company."

I looked away and mumbled out, "No. It's ok."

"Is this the part where I beg?" Her question got me to smile as I walked out of the door she held. Turning towards the red exit sign, she continued, "Honestly, because I'm part of the reason to blame. If you're way too scared to sleep, call me."

I sighed and squeezed my duck against me, "Ok, but don't complain to me when I'm waking you up in the middle of the night."

"Sure sure," she replied with a grin. But before we moved any further, she noticed me rubbing my arms, "Are you cold?"

"No," I lied carefully, hoping my face didn't give it away. But I didn't fool her for a second. Giving me a small smile, she began moving to take off her jacket. I attempted to stop her, "No don't, it's ok. I'm not that cold."

"Right," she rolled her eyes, not bothering with pausing her movements. Unbuttoning her varsity batman jacket carefully, she continued, "Like I'm going to sit here and stand by while you're freezing."

I was going to argue, but seconds later she was walking towards me, already pulling the jacket off of her arms. She didn't hand it to me though, instead she stopped right in front of me, close enough to make me nervous, and without much thought she swung the jacket over my shoulders and tugged it against me snuggly. My arms were still wrapped around myself, too cold to bother putting them into the sleeves. With a step back, she gave me a look over, and commented, "Well, I have to say you look better in it than I do."

A smile slipped my lips, "Really?"

"Of course," she nodded and then grinned, "But then again, maybe it's because it's mine and I like seeing you wear it."

I opened my mouth, but my heart suddenly stuttered and I lost the words that were just at the tip of my tongue seconds before. Blushing, I looked away, but it hadn't mattered because Sakura had turned back around right after that. Opening the exit door half way, she peaked out as if looking for something. After a moment, she glanced back at me and said, "Why don't you go ahead and go to the main entrance, and I'll meet you there with the car."

"Why can't I just walk with you now?" I asked a bit confused.

"It's pretty cold out there," she answered with a shrug, "I figured I could just go get the car myself and even have it nice and warm for you when I pick you up from the front. That way you don't have to walk outside that much."

"Oh," I responded in a sort of a stumble, "Ok. I guess that's fine."

She gave a grin, "Great. It'll be quick. Be right back."

And with that, she left. When she had, I turned around with my stomach twisting as I swallowed and walked down the hall. Sakura's jacket swung slightly as I made my way to the front, and after a moment I shifted to tug it closer against me, using my hands to hold the opening close in the front as I held my duck. Her comment of how I looked in a simple article of clothing owned by her danced in my mind, and my stomach simply fluttered in reaction. Not only was she ridiculous enough to give me her jacket, but she was also sweet enough to go get the car by herself just so she can blast the heat for me.

Embarrassed suddenly out of nowhere, I began to mutter to myself on how much of an idiot she was. It went on for a while, until I was caught by a group of kids walking giving me a weird glance in result. Feeling like an idiot myself, I quickly passed them by and went to stand near the main entrance, my eyes wandering and looking for Sakura's car. Surprisingly enough she pulled up only seconds later, and so I quickly made my way towards her.

At this point I'm not even sure why I was surprised when she got out of the car simply to open the passenger door for me. After tonight, I should have been used to her extravagant attempts to show such minor manners. Still, when she had, I rushed to sit down simply so she couldn't see my face and how embarrassed I was.

The car was absolutely heaven to me, and I felt like I could melt in happiness as the heat pouring through the vents licked at my skin. Wiggling in my seat, I pulled my duck close as we went through the parking lot. A few moments later, Sakura spoke up.

"So, how are you feeling about ice cream?"

"Now?" I asked in surprise, glancing at the time, "Isn't it late? Isn't everything closed?"

"Well, maybe," she shrugged while looking forward, but then smiled; "Still, I think I have a place in mind that is still open."

"Well ok," I answered, doubting she could find a place open this late, "I could go for some ice cream I guess."

We didn't chatter much after that, just fell into a comfortable silence as we drove down the road. For some reason instead of going down main roads, Sakura started to drive through neighborhoods. I asked her why, because I was curious.

"Well, don't you think it's a bit more peaceful then going through such busy Friday night streets?" She answered as she cruised slowly, passing house after house, "I mean, just look around. Some people are dead sleep., and it's practically silent here. I don't know, I like it better than the noisy city. Here we can think, breathe. Out there… it's just bright, crowded with other yelling thoughts."

I watched her as we drove, taking in her words. She noticed my steady gaze, and glanced at me in response with a small smile. I smiled back before looking away, propping my chin up with my palm as I looked outside. She was right, it was darker her, hardly any lights. Houses seemed abandoned, and cars sat empty. With the music off, I realized how peaceful it was, and understood what she was saying. I hadn't thought much about it before, because my life seemed to constantly flow.

Just like those busy Friday night streets.

Eventually we reached what seemed to be the last house, but that was after driving through neighborhood after neighborhood. I looked around, wondering why we had chosen to pull over, but then realized what was happening when Sakura pulled out her keys from the ignition. With a sudden thought, I sighed and smiled to myself. Of course. Why didn't I figure this out sooner?

She had taken me to her house, simply for some ice cream.

I turned to her and gave her a look, but she only gave me an innocent grin, "Welcome to S&E's Icecream Galore."

"Sakura and Ethan's?" I guessed with a roll of my eyes.

She laughed, opening the door and slipping out. I followed her shortly after, bending down to place my duck comfortably on the seat. Standing up straight, I noticed Sakura behind me, waiting for me to step out of the way so she could close the car door for me. Moving to the side, she shut it and then moved towards the front door of her house, which was huge and two stories.

"Are you're parents awake?" I asked nervously, looking up at the dark windows.

"Most likely not," Sakura replied casually, but then added, "Don't worry, their room is pretty much sound proof from kitchen noise, or they would have to kill me to keep me from eating late night snacks."

"Oh, an expert," I joked. She laughed a bit while she twisted her keys to unlock the door.

The creak from the door sounded like a sonic boom, and made me even more nervous as we stepped inside. But Sakura didn't look as wary, instead she stepped to the aside and allowed me to walk into the darkness so she could close and lock the door. I looked around in silence, my eyes scanning the room that was blanketed by darkness. But before I could analyze it too much, I felt two hands grab my waist from behind and guided me to a little bit more forward until they pulled me over to a doorway that presented the kitchen.

I glanced behind me, seeing Sakura's quiet smile before she stepped around me and moved to the small light on their stove. Turning it on with a click, she walked over to the freezer and opened it up, searching around for a second before she pulled out three huge tubs of ice cream.

I blinked as balanced the tubs and watched as she placed them down on the counter. Soon, she turned and presented me her flavors, "Ok, so we have cookies and cream, cookie dough, or pumpkin pie ice cream."

"Pumpkin pie?" I whispered out my curiosity, stepping forward to look at the orange container.

"You don't know this, but pumpkin pie ice cream is what heaven looks like," Sakura replied with a happy sigh, "It's absolutely delicious, and it's seasonal, so it only comes out once a year. But I'm willing to share with you and only you. Don't tell Ethan, he isn't allowed any."

"Sounds like a sticky heaven," I smiled with a roll of my eyes, "Well, if you're offering, I'm totally willing to try some."

"I'm about to make you a very raging fan of this icecream," she replied, turning to grab bowls from the cabinet and a huge icecream scooper from the drawers, "And when the season is over, you will know true sadness."

Laughing, I admitted, "Now I'm nervous."

"You should be."

It took her a moment to get the bowls ready, but not too long. I wrapped my arms around me as I waited, Sakura's jacket still comfortably keeping me warm. I went ahead and put my arms through the sleeves, and it felt just a bit oversized, but in a good way. Sakura was taller than me, but in her defense I was such a small girl.

She handed me my bowl, and I looked down at the orange icecream with chunks of gram crackers in it. Maybe it was its color that made me wary, because now I was having doubts on if it was any good. But it was too late, already Sakura was moving out of the kitchen, not before handing me my spoon. I followed behind her, walking through her house, and when I thought we were going to be sitting on her couch, she kept moving to further until she reached the back door.

Slowly, she slid the door open, stepping outside to her backyard. The place was large with the greenest grass ever. I stepped out with her, and she slid the door closed behind me, moving to the swing set that was set up just under a tree. She sat on one, and I sat on the other, and when the creaking of us swinging slightly back and forth slowly grew fainter and fainter, we heard nothing but crickets and a few calls of croaking frogs.

I glanced at Sakura, who was picking up her spoon and scooping up some ice cream happily. I smiled at the way she practically beamed her spoon hit her tongue, the flavor probably exploding in her mouth. Without thinking about much, I followed her lead and took a scoop of my own.

"Oh my god," I said in surprise, looking down at the icecream in my hand.

"Right?" Sakura nodded excitedly, taking another scoop, "Isn't it the freaking most awesome thing you've ever tasted?"

"I didn't think it would be that good," I admitted, picking up a spoon and just shivering at the amazing flavor, "But it literally tastes like pumpkin pie, and the gram cracker chunks are still crunchy! This is absolutely unbelievable."

"I know, I know!" I laughed at Sakura's thrill, "It's just, oh god, it's just good! And then imagine when I have to wait a whole year until this comes out again."

"I guess the wait is totally worth something this awesome," I nodded, happily allowing the ice cream to melt on my tongue.

"Totally," she agreed, but soon fell back into silence as she continued to enjoy her icecream.

The crickets sounded loud compared to the hush around us, but it didn't stay quiet for long. In the distance a low rumble of thunder tumbled throughout the sky, and with a glance up I saw the clouds that were slowly blanketing the stars. To me, the sight somehow resembled the stars being tucked into bed, and with the moon gradually becoming less visible, it was like someone was slowly dimming the lights until it was completely dark, which it was. I could hardly see in front of me, and I could barely make out my spoon and bowl in my hand, but the blindness made the lighting we saw flickering inside of the clouds seem so much brighter.

And beautiful.

I stared up, watching for a moment. I couldn't pull my eyes away from the outlines I would see when the light bursted from the clouds, because it wasn't something I saw every day; and the contradiction the dark grey clouds had with the blinding light made it hard to imagine by myself. I wanted to take it all in now, because I knew later I wouldn't be able to experience it the same. And for some reason as I watched the sight, I felt calm, at ease. Everything around me didn't seem as serious, or as hectic. Instead everything seemed simple; I was simply sitting here with Sakura, eating ice cream and watching the sky.

"This date," Sakura started slowly from beside me, her voice soft and gentle enough to keep my eyes to the sky, "What was it to you?"

I'm not sure, but I don't think I was surprised by the question. With a kick of my feet, I continued to watch the sky and answered carefully, "At first, nothing much… But now, I see it kinda differently."

From the corner of my eyes, I saw her shift as she continued, "It's just that…" She paused, and fell into silence. She stayed like that for a while, and we both just sat there that way. It wasn't nerve wrecking, well not for me. It was comfortable, warm, and simply made me want to tug the jacket around my shoulders closer. I had already finished my icecream, so I placed my bowl on the ground, and with the creak of my swing, I shifted and wrapped my arms around myself, waiting patiently while watching the sky.

"It's just that… for awhile now I've had this crush on you. And… well for the last week or two, I've been trying to figure out if it was all in my head," she continued, and I noticed how there wasn't a stumble in her sentences or words. They were composed, but quiet and soft with pauses as if she were trying to get the wording right. She wasn't afraid of what she had to say, she was afraid she might say it wrong, "And even now, I'm kind of questioning it."

I pressed my lips together and held myself tighter, my stomach slowly churning as my heart thumped harder and harder. I was calm, not so nervous, but what she was saying slowly filled me with butterflies, and it was a struggle to contain them all.

"But, the more I hang out with you, the more I think of you, I just…" she shifted again, taking a breath. It was more like a heavy sigh, as if she were trying to breathe out the rocks in her chest. After a moment, she continued delicately, "I'm just- realizing, you are far too smart, pretty, carefree and curious… you're laugh is just a bit too enjoyable to listen to, and you're eyes are just too beautiful to pull away from, for me to even begin to think that maybe this is all in my head."

I held myself more, my heart speeding as I felt myself blush at her words. She paused again, allowing for me to let everything to sink in. Thunder rumbled and lightening gently flashed up at the sky. Then, as she began to speak again, the soft hum of rain gradually surrounded us.

"I think…" She started quietly, "I think it would have happened eventually, and there was no way that I could have stopped myself from crashing hard for you, because- to my shame- I have to admit that I tried to stop it; But as I mentioned before Ino, you're far too perfect to run away from, and for me to believe I can escape you is pretty much hopeless... So yeah, none of this is in my head, and I guess what I'm trying to say is that… I like you."

I took a breath, because each one was becoming harder to take. We sat there for a moment, waiting for me to say something, but I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think. Everything she had just said, it was like it froze me and I just-

I couldn't get any words out.

After my silence tumbled on Sakura sighed again, and with a drop of my heart, I realized I ran out of time. I opened my mouth to speak, but she was already standing up, grabbing her bowl and moving towards me. She stood there, and I glanced up at her eyes to see them glowing with a color of bright frost green. Her gaze was soft, just like her smile, and I was confused because I hadn't known if she understood what my silence meant.

But I guess it didn't matter, she merely grabbed my bowl that was in front of me, bending down carefully to do so. When she stood and stacked the bowls together with the spoons inside, she gave me another glance. I still couldn't speak, it was like my breath was stolen away from me. So I just watched her, hoping that my eyes could speak the volumes of emotions I was feeling.

I couldn't guess if they had, but I could hope.

But when she bent down once more, looking me in my eyes with a smile that hardly reached hers, I knew I would never get the chance to regain my breath again. She leaned forward slowly, giving me all the time in the world to pull away, to stop her. There was no reason to, my squeezing heart made that clear.

So the time to stop her gradually trickled by, along with the space between us. And when her lips hit mine gently, with a simple little peck, none of it felt wrong or gross. Instead everything inside slowly exploded and my mind shut down. With no confusing thoughts to stop me from leaning forward as she pulled away, I found myself moving my lips against hers with the bowls between us.

I guess, somehow without me knowing it, I must have had a crush on her too…

* * *

(1) - watch?v=O5QaL7qGb_w (Link for Zedd. Slap it on the end of your youtube url) watch?v=BUVVRuek86Y (for the second song)

**I know. God I know.**

**Sakura just shot an old fashion three, and that shit just swooshed into the net. Holy sweet coffee, let the freaking fangirling begin. Because, despite myself, I'm fangirling too.**

**Oh buddy oh buddy, I think Sakura wins for the weekend, which the two captains of team sakura and all the followers MUST be happy. Team Tayuya, take that hit in the gut with dignity. Dont worry, it really hurts me too. **

**Well this went out to a few of my fans, including Expecting Pooper who continuously hoped and mentioned for a chapter on Friday the 13th because I had promised before leaving the hotel that I would update in ten days, and this so happens to be the tenth day. So lets go ahead and right that on some notepad paper.**

**Not only does Shy update frantically, but she also keeps promises. Remember this for my 2016 election term. **

**Also, this is for that that particular cute girl. And also a long overdue promise for a rain scene. I struggle muffin butterers, I struggle to keep up with all the things you demand from me. Hopefully this time around, I delivered big. Whooping 6000+ words, 13 pages of hard work all week despite me SAYING i was going to kill myself over with League of legend overload. See, you guys can count on me.**

**Love you all. Review me. Hard. IN the face. Continuously. For like. Days. And look for the next review.**

**Shycadet loves. Out. Happy Friday the 13th. **


	25. Burden

**A/N - **For that stressed out college kid who asked for a healthy update.

Chin up lil homie. No fucks should be given on a day when I post. So let us take a moment to give no fucks.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto or give any fucks for that matter.**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - __Lunova Labs - Burden (AZEDIA Remix)_

When Sakura dropped me off that night, we were silent. The car was as dead as the night rain, humming around us without much thought. It was the same as me, how I was feeling. My mind was still frozen, still stuck, and the only thing I could think about was her lips.

The very ones that were pressed against mine just moments before.

She walked me to my door, allowing me to use her varsity batman jacket to protect me from the storm. And after, with my keys in the door because I had already unlocked it but hadn't bothered to open it, I moved to give her jacket back, but she refused.

"Keep it," she said softly, lightly flashing behind her.

"I couldn't," I answered with a frown, "Isn't this one of your brother's jackets?"

"Yeah but you look so good in it," she explained, her green eyes glowing as she steadily watched me, "And I kind of hope you sleep with it tonight."

My heart squeezed as I looked away, quietly feeling as my stomach churned. I took a breath, but for reasons unknown, because I couldn't speak. My words dropped in the depths of my throat, and I only managed to breathe out with a heavy sigh. Sakura hadn't mind, she simply gave me a half smile.

"Do I make you nervous?" She asked casually, as if it wasn't obvious enough.

"The things you say are pretty nerve wrecking," I replied truthfully, shifting and pulling her jacket more around me with my eyes still away from hers.

"Come on, I'm a dork with everything I say," she whispered back, taking another step up the small set of stairs she was standing on, and effectively closing more distance between us. I silently kept my eyes away from her, and the silence tumbled for a moment. But then she started carefully, "Listen, about tonight-"

"Don't…" Was all I could breathe out, my heart already hammering at the mere mention of it.

"That bad?" She asked, and even though her voice sounded disappointed, her smile was still there.

"No," I assured, struggling to push past my nerves, "I just… I'm not sure I could…"

"Could what?" She pressed, taking another step up towards me and reaching the leveled floor. The way she towered over me was comforting, as weird as it was to admit. I felt safe, as if she were protecting me, shielding me from the outside world that was behind her as thunder rumbled through out the sky.

"I couldn't breathe if we started talking about it," I rushed out, fighting every prickle in my body to not take a step away from her.

"Oh? So you would like to spend your breath on something else?" She teased softly, twinkle in her eye as she slipped me a heartbreaking smile.

Again I took a breath, only for it to tumble with no words coming out.

"Making you nervous is pretty enjoyable," she laughed quietly before taking a step back with a rub of her neck, "But I guess I shouldn't press my luck tonight."

The step she took away from me made me feel colder, and I instantly wanted her back to where she was. I couldn't express it though; my failures with words tonight were too great. So I simply watched her, a tad helplessly.

"Anyway," she continued, dropping her hand with a sigh, "I, uh… I guess I'll see you around at school?"

I nodded, unable to do anything else.

"Right, ok…" she slowly nodded as well, taking another backwards step down the stairs while adding, "It was amazing hanging out with you tonight Ino. I honestly hope I showed you a great time as well."

"You have," I stumbled out awkwardly, my words a bit chopped, "I uh. No yeah, it was fun."

"Great," she nodded while her eyes sliding to the side, "Alright. I guess I should be going. See you around, Ino."

She moved to leave, but in a fraction of a second my hand grabbed her shirt. It was awkward when she glanced back in curiosity, because I kind of just quickly took back my hand and dropped my gaze to the ground. I couldn't say anything either, I simply stood there like an idiot.

But Sakura was far too clever to not realize what I wanted. And she was far too accommodating to tease and beat around the bush about it. Instead she turned around, half smile pulling at her lips, and watched me carefully as she walked back up the stairs.

"You know what, I'm forgot to tell you something," she muttered, closing the distance between us as I slowly stepped back and leaned against my closed front door.

I bit my lip and looked away, small blush at my cheeks as I mumbled, "Oh really…"

"Mhmm," she replied, standing close to me. I glanced up at her eyes, and caught her smile. I was just about to look away again, but she caught my chin and tugged me back carefully, forcing my eyes back to hers. Watching steadily, she murmured, "I forgot to mention that you're eyes are undeniably stunning."

"Thank you," I whispered out.

"You are absolutely welcome," she responded, and then leaned down and pressed her lips against mine.

My breath was gone all over again, sucked right from my chest by her soft lips. She moved slowly against mine, her body carefully pressing me against the wall with her hand finding my waist to simply steady me there. And after what felt like seconds, she tortured me with her decision to pull away too soon.

I leaned against the wall, breathing. Her green eyes watched me, small smile pulling at her lips, "Get some sleep Ino. I will see you later."

I nodded in response, and she gave me another smile before pulling away from me completely and walking down the steps. And as the rain soaked her, she paused opening the car door to give me a wave. I smiled and waved back, watching as she hopped into the car and shortly disappeared down the road.

X

I was asleep when there was a knock at my window, and it took me a moment to recognize the sound. Groggily, I sat up and went to towards it, opening my blinds without much thought. To my absolute _surprise _Tayuya was kneeling on the roof, soaked from head to toe and waiting for me to let her in, so I did.

I went straight back into bed, too tired to even bother with fussing about how she would get my floor wet, or how she could catch a cold if she was walking in the rain for too long. Instead I just curled into the warmth that I had gathered from laying in one spot, and listened as Tayuya quietly jumped inside from behind me.

There were creaks while she moved, shuffling and sliding the window closed quietly. After a moment of not hearing anything, I heard her whisper, "Hey. Do you have a pair of shorts I can wear?"

I grumbled into my sheets, a string of unintelligible words.

"Right," She replied, hearing her creaks as she began to move about my room, "I'll just figure it out myself."

She took her time going through my drawers, attempting to be as quiet as she could with each step, breath, and noise. But it was those noises that I was searching for as I closed my eyes slowly, my back towards her. Those noises gave me comfort, because I know with them confirmed the fact that she was still here. And as I was gradually falling back asleep as seconds tumbled on, I hope she wouldn't leave after I lost consciousness.

I woke back up with the feel of Tayuya's weight dipping into the bed. But instead of feeling her warmth against me as I so patiently waited for, she crawled to the wall and sat near my legs. For a moment I just laid there, wondering why she hadn't bothered to get under the sheets. And it was good that I was facing her, because if I had to roll over to find out I might have just been left there wondering for the rest of the night.

My eyes opened and wandered to her sitting there, phone in her hand with her beanie pulled low. Her wet hair clung to her exposed shoulders; She had taken off her shirt, leaving only her sports bra covering her chest. Her skin was tanned, and the light from her phone as she typed away allowed me to see some of the few muscle cuts she had from simply being physically active with skateboarding.

Silently looking away, I wondered who she was texting as I listened to the soft hum of every button she pushed on the screen. Of course the only person I could think of was Karin, and with slight annoyance, I rolled away.

We stayed silent for a while, and to my dismay I was too irritated to fall back asleep. So I simply laid there, watching my dark room as I listened to the crickets outside. Then I heard Tayuya's soft voice, already assuming that I was still awake.

"Nice jacket."

My eyes, which had wandered closed, popped open. The only jacket that would be in my bed was Sakura's, and I had completely forgotten that I had been sleeping with it before Tayuya came in. My heart hammered as I shut my eyes tight, questioning how absolutely stupid I could be.

"Batman huh? I didn't know you were into superhero stuff," Tayuya continued conversationally, and I realized that she couldn't have known where the jacket had come from, who had given it to me, and why I had it in the first place.

Stomach churning, I gave up with being comfortable and sat up, pulling the jacket slowly to my lap, "Well," I started quietly, my eyes wandering the dark and gray color, "My friend ended up letting me have it. It was raining outside."

"Oh, well that was nice," she replied with a shrug, "I should have probably carried one around today, but I hadn't noticed the storm clouds until it was already pouring down."

"Why were you outside?" I asked, slipping from bed to hang the jacket up in my closet, hoping to keep her from prying for any other details about it.

"The usual," she answered lazily, "I didn't realize it was this late, or I would have come over sooner."

"Kankuro was looking for you," I informed quietly, turning back around to see her sitting there with her knees up and elbows propped on them. Her body expression suggested she wasn't very surprised.

"They are always looking for me," she huffed out as she rubbed her eyes.

I didn't say anything as I moved back to the bed, sitting at the edge with my feet on a wet puddle spot. My mind was wandering, and the words I wanted to ask were at the tip of my tongue, but I knew I shouldn't. It was dumb for me to pry so much, especially if it was just for one reason in particular. But I couldn't help it, I honestly wanted to know.

"Were you with Karin tonight?" I asked softly.

She was quiet for a moment, and I could practically feel her eyes watching me from behind. With a sigh, she muttered, "Not for very long."

"Oh." I answered simply, pretending my heart and stomach didn't drop.

"She offered to go to the movies, but I said no," she continued to talk as I looked at the floor, "I never got a text from Kiba or anyone, and when I came over earlier tonight you weren't here, so I ended up going to smoke at that trail and Karin tagged along."

"I went out with a friend," I half told the truth, my fingers fidgeting with each other.

"Well I hope you had more fun than I did," she sighed and I felt shift from behind me, "Getting rained on isn't fun when the blunt goes out. We literally went through hell trying to light it up again."

"You shouldn't smoke," I slipped out.

"Yes princess, I know," she replied in her typical manner.

"Then why don't you stop?" I pressed, surprising myself.

"Huh?" She started, sounding a bit confused. Then, slowly, she went on to explain, "Well. I'm not sure. It just helps, you know? Makes the world seem a little nicer."

"It's nice without it," I snapped, while glaring at my fingers, "It's just that you spend your time so high that you forget how nice of a place it is when you aren't."

The silence that followed was deafening, and with it whatever spell I was under broke. Sighing, I squeezed my fingers together, not knowing what had come over me. I was just irritated, annoyed that my suspicions were correct. Even more angry with myself that I partially caused it, because I wasn't home to catch Tayuya looking for me.

And then I kissed Sakura. Three times.

Karin was skipping around with Tayuya, as if they were just as much best friends as we were; and what was worse was to find out that she smokes, which was Tayuya's second hobby after skateboarding. I could already see how many times Tayuya would come in high, probably just coming back from a smoke break with her.

God, why couldn't she just go the fuck away? It was stupid, and she was a bitch anyway.

Tayuya's arms being wrapped around my shoulders from behind surprised me, partially because she had stopped the rant in my head. Her legs slipped against both sides of me, and her half naked chest pressed against my back, forcing me to remember what exactly it was like to be to have her warmth mixing with my own.

Arms locking across my chest, I felt her lean against me and mumble quietly, "Alright then. Ask me to quit."

I pulled away slightly, replying with a flat tone, "No, just do what you want."

"And what I want to do is whatever you tell me," she whispered into my ear, her lips barely brushing against me.

"Forget it, Tayuya," I mumbled, not at all convinced in the words she was so sweetly whispering, "Just do what you want."

Her sigh danced across my neck as I felt her arms drop to my stomach. She tugged me back as she rested her forehead on my back shoulder, and for a while we just sat like that. I didn't bother with moving away, even though I partially felt like it only because I was so annoyed. But the irritation was slowly melting into minor levels, along with everything else. Tonight felt like a faded memory, and life normally did when I was with Tayuya. It's why it was so frustrating, because even though everything watered into nothing, there was still one girl that seemed to have such a strong presence in this room, and she wasn't even here.

Tayuya always had this effect whenever I was pressed against her, forcing me to believe that even though life was going on outside of this room, here with the both of us nothing else existed. There was no school, no troubles, no real life. There was nothing but the two of us, breathing and struggling to deal with each other.

But Karin, it was like she was always here. And even with the numbness of the world, her presence was like a throbbing headache that refused to go away. So while I felt Tayuya's warmth, knowing that now that she had jumped into my window she was mine for at least until the morning, I couldn't brush Karin's fake smile out of my head. And that is what pissed me off the most.

Because it was like me and Tayuya's private little get away was being breached by a bitch who had some sort of personal goal to make my life hell.

"Ino," Tayuya mumbled, her voice low with her breath running down my back as she kept her forehead rested against me, "What did you do tonight?"

My heart pounded as I stared ahead in absolute disbelief. Smiling to myself, I shook my head and looked out the window, "Nothing. I went out with a friend and we went to the movies." I lied out of my teeth.

"Mm," she hummed in return, and I knew she didn't believe me. But I think that was the point, I think she knew I wouldn't tell her the truth. Whatever was churning in her head, I was only proving it right.

"What about you," I countered in a mutter, "You and Karin, what did you do all day?"

"Nothing," she responded, flat and unconvincing.

I set my jaw and continued to look out the window.

"We are both liars, huh?" Tayuya mused, breaching the tone of misery.

"Maybe," I mumbled out, my heart wrenching.

We were quiet for a moment, simply pressed against each other. I continued to watch outside, looking at the still trees. Eventually I noticed the crickets had stopped chirping, and the frogs stopped croaking. There was no more rain, no more wind. Everything around us was completely dead and silent, and the quiet was pounding at my ears.

"Remember when school started," she began softly, her fingers toying with my shirt, "And remember how worried you were that we would somehow drift apart?"

The memory toyed at the edges of my mind, and feeling completely miserable, I replied quietly, "Yes Tayuya, I do."

"I wasn't worried at all," she continued without much volume or motivation, "I was sure that nothing would happen, that we would continue to be close and always together. I was positive that we wouldn't drift apart, because I knew it was impossible for it to be any other way."

"Well you were right," I responded softly as she paused to take a breath, "Here we are, still best friends."

"I was so sure because I knew what I wanted, I knew what I had in my hands, and I knew I wouldn't be letting it go," she mumbled, but with each word I was becoming less and less convinced that she was actually talking to me, but more to herself, "And I was positive, Ino, that no matter what, in the end, it'll always be us."

"It will," I assured, hating the way she drifting off, leaving me here to watch her slowly float away.

"But I'm scared now," she whispered out, tightening her hold on me, "I hadn't realized that it didn't matter what I knew, what I thought, what I was so sure of, because if you hadn't felt the same way we wouldn't be here now. If you thought any differently, what could I have done to stop any of it?"

"You shouldn't be scared," I whispered, hoping to comfort her, "You were right-"

"No, I was stupid," she cut in, her voice growing more and more quiet, "I assumed that I could single handedly accomplished something, but all that I've learned is that I can't. I can work as hard as I can on my end. I can put 90% into it, even 99%. But in the end, Ino, I still need that 1%... I still need that single ounce to make anything possible."

Her words had to have double meanings; there was something between the lines that I was missing. I struggled to figure them out, desperate to understand where this was all coming from, but I couldn't. Whatever she was speaking to me of, it must have been something that she had been toying with in her mind for a while now. And maybe if she had come to me sooner, I could have pried and questioned what was bothering her. But it was too late for us both, there was nothing I could do, so Tayuya continued to float away, and landed herself on her own world.

Leaving me here, running my fingers across her arm, hoping that she will snap out of it. But she didn't. The rest of the night I was left just sitting there, her holding me.

And I hadn't realized until it was far too late that she wasn't just holding onto me, she was clinging.

* * *

(1) - watch?v=InLrfyyVUtQ (Good song, killed my replay button on this song. I'm not sure why I like it, but the feel of it just fit so perfectly.)

**College kid, and everyone else, let's not stress. And for the love birds in our story, I want to tell them to same thing. Stress is unnecessary, and I've been practicing with understanding that in the end**

**Nothing is that serious.**

**So lets just lay back, chill, smile. I love you, and everyone who reads this story loves eachother, it's all we need. Just go hippie mood and relax with whatever calms you down. Whether it be my updates, some music, or smoking. **

**The emotional distraught is there folks, can you feel it? This was pretty heartbreaking for me to write. I had half done, but wrote the second half because my batman signal was flaring and dancing across the clouds.**

**Someone needed an update, and so I delivered.**

**College kid, much love. Fans, just as much love.**

**Read review. And lets all relax. Oh, and I put my love out there for the families who suffered from the naval shooting today. My navy heart mourns for the injured and lost.**

**Shycadet loves. out.**


	26. Replaced

**A/N** - The world works in mysterious ways, and this is absolute truth.

Why, just a couple of weeks ago I was putting on deodorant and noticed that I had magically forgotten to shave under one arm. Embarrassing?: Maybe.

Mysterious?: Uh, fuck yes. Seriously, how do you even forget the other armpit?

Anyway, the point is to keep your eyes peeled. This mysterious world is doing mysterious things all over in the most mysterious places.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Kate McGill - Replaced (Statix Remix)_

Monday rolled around with Tayuya's eyes away from mine, which seemed to be some sort of trend. I tried to not let it get to me, because what was the point anymore, but I couldn't brush it off. The feelings of lost and confusion, hurt and betrayal, and anger, just so much anger, were all there churning right below the surface, and I just wished it would stop. I was starting to hate that I felt anything for her at all, and that was the most heart breaking to admit.

Because she was my best friend, and now I was wishing I wasn't such an idiot to ruin what was so perfect to begin with.

I shouldn't have acknowledged her and her overwhelming addicting presence. I shouldn't have sat there and wondered night after night if the butterflies in my stomach were real. I should have never given into asking her to whisper me to sleep at night, and convince her to stay until the morning.

I did all those things, so it was my fault. This miserable state I was in, sitting here poking at my food at lunch, wondering what Karin has done that I seemingly couldn't accomplish, all the while thinking of how utterly hopeless everything was; I had managed to cause all of it. Who else's fault could it have been but my own? Who else would have been foolish enough to fall for something that was so off the wall?

Fall for someone who I couldn't have possibly reached. Not when she was across the street for 17 years, and not now.

I was foolish and dumb, idiotic and closed minded. Fairy tales? Love? Butterflies? They all had one thing in common, I could not hold on to them physically in my hand.

So they ultimately didn't exist.

What did exist was Tayuya, and her over whelming presence that was dwindling into my pending misery. She existed, she was ultimately there.

Too bad she was pretending that I wasn't.

I stood up from my table, not bothering to pick up my tray or with giving my friends an explanation. I was tired, sick of pretending, exhausted with smiling when I had nothing to smile about. So I left, and I wandered the halls to attempt to get lost, to drop myself from the face of the earth for just a second. I had the desire to breathe, to taste this misery with my own tongue and fill my chest with it., because if I knew what I was going up against, then I could make my attempts to escape the hole that I've dug myself.

Who else would there be here to help me? Before Tayuya, I had no one. And now that I couldn't even count on her, there was….

Well… there was one other girl…

I drifted to E-wing to see the only person I actually wanted to be accompanied by after such a shit day. And as I silently peaked inside, half wondering what today's adventure would be, I saw Sakura standing at one of the work benches, hammering away at something.

I watched her for a moment, pondering what she could be working on, but more so worried if I would be bothering her. Ethan was nowhere to be seen, and that made me slightly uneasy. It would have been a tad bit easier to walk into the classroom if I had his dopey expression beaming at me from some table he would be running on.

Stepping inside quietly, I watched Sakura work. Whatever she was hammering at, she was doing it with so much force that the bench shook, and it was surprising because I didn't know she had such strength. I walked around slowly, carefully adjusting my angle to see exactly what I would be interrupting, but all I saw was some wood with nails scattered around.

I bit my lip, stepping dangerously closer, hoping I was far enough away to keep myself hidden. Already I was having second thoughts, wanting to leave and feeling like an idiot for wandering here in the first place. I didn't know what to say to her, especially after Friday night. And now that I was thinking of it, it was only natural for us to be awkward around each other now more than ever.

I began to back away slowly, moving to make my way back out the door without saying a word. But before I could, I heard Sakura cry out in frustration.

"Fucking Christ," she cursed in a vicious grumble as I watched her toss her hammer on the table. Angrily taking a step away from the bench, she waved her hand around and snapped, "Why can't I not be clumsy for three lousy seconds?"

She continued to stand there, waving her hand around until she put her thumb in her mouth and turned around with a glare on her face. Yet the moment her eyes caught me, her face and thumb instantly dropped. Surprised, she stumbled out, "Oh, hey… I- uh- I didn't see you there."

"Hey," I answered back meekly before pointing, "Did you hurt yourself?"

Her gaze dropped down to her hand before she quickly moved it behind her back, replying hastily, "Uh, nope. I'm fine."

I rolled my eyes and walked over, carefully grabbing and pulling her hand gently between us. I warily gave it a glance over and noticed that her thumb not only seemed to be glowing red, but also a bit bruised. I gave Sakura a look, but she only gave me a timid smile and admitted, "Kay, so I'm not the best with a hammer."

Sighing, I gently ran my fingers across hers and mumbled, "You honestly should be careful."

"You're right," she agreed softly, allowing me to idly whisper my fingertips against her palm. We were silent for a moment, and kind of just stood there like that. But a couple of seconds later I heard her whisper, "So what's wrong?"

I blinked in surprised, my eyes jumping to hers. She stared down at me, waiting patiently for an answer. Tearing my gaze away from her, I took my fingers back and stepped away, "Nothing. I just came to say hi."

As I began to wander to the other side of the room, wanting to examine the little dead critters in the jars, I heard Sakura reply, "You know, you aren't allowed to do that anymore."

"Do what?" I asked, my eyes wandering the glass case.

"Pretend that you're alright in front of me," she stated simply, her voice steadily growing closer. I glanced back and saw her walking towards me, small frown on her face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied in response, turning back forward.

"You pretty much signed over your right to do that too, Ino," she continued softly as she stood right behind me, her voice careful and soft, "Lying, thinking I won't pry, the moment we kissed was our agreement that I'm allowed to be worried, and that I'll be able to pride myself to sense when you're not telling the truth."

My heart thumped hard as my eyes slowly fell. She carefully stepped to the side of me, watching my expression. Small smile on her face, she mumbled, "What? That still gets you nervous?"

"Yes," I answered truthfully, carefully avoiding her eyes.

"Would you rather I pretend it never happened?" She asked quietly, and when I finally had the courage to look up at her, I was met with her steady forest green eyes. Stomach twisting, I tried to come up with the correct answer. Half of me wanted to tell her yes, but the other half wondered about how harsh that would sound.

"Not for reasons you think," I struggled to get out, my fingers fidgeting with each other, "It isn't like it was bad."

"Don't worry about it," she assured, her smile still tugging at her lips, "I get it."

I sighed, falling silent. Seconds trickled past until I heard her speak up softly again, "Now tell me what is wrong."

I bit my lip, not knowing what to say. She didn't deserve to hear about Tayuya, how I was feeling about everything. She didn't need to hear about how heartbroken I was, when she had just confessed to me the other night that she had a crush on me. And now that I realized how much of a bitch move it was to actually come here, I had a wave of second thoughts and suddenly rushed out, "I'm just going to go."

I took a step to leave, but she grabbed my wrist. Pulling me back with a deep frown on her face and her eyebrows drawn together, she mumbled, "What? Why?"

"I just came to say hi," I pressed, lying all the while avoiding her facial expression.

"Stop," she replied, her voice flat, "It's actually starting to get pretty offensive that you think you can get away with telling me some halfhearted fib. Just tell me what's wrong, I'll try to help."

"I can't," I admitted brokenly, "I mean… I want to, I really do, because everything around me is just so freaking stupid, and you make me happy, but I just… I can't…"

She stayed silent for a while, slowly dragging her fingers from my wrist. Instead she rubbed her neck while taking a huge breath and a step away from me. Rubbing my arm in an attempt to comfort myself, I stood there as gathered her thoughts, not knowing what to say. I wondered if she was frustrated with me now, and possibly wouldn't mind if I left since I was being so stubborn and confusing.

So it was surprising when she dropped her hand from her neck and offered, "Alright. Let's leave school."

I blinked, looking up at her in question. Her face carefully hid whatever she was thinking. So stupidly enough, I replied, "What?"

"We're leaving school," she repeated, already turning around and grabbing her bookbag that was at a nearby table. I stood there, still confused. When she turned back to me, waiting patiently, I stumbled out, "But I still have classes."

"One day isn't going to do much, sweet heart," she replied, and my cheeks burned slightly at the pet name, "And it's obvious that whatever is going on, being here at school is just making it worse. So let me take you someplace else. I've got a car and a full tank of gas. We can go anywhere."

"But…" I started slowly, still a bit iffy.

"But nothing," she replied flatly, taking steps to close the distance between us. Eyes leveled with mine, she spoke carefully, "Whatever it is that's messing with you, I understand you just want to get away from it, to just drop off the radar for a moment, to breathe. And if you won't tell me what's wrong so I can help, then I'll do everything else I can to help. So, I'm taking you away from here Ino, and there isn't anything you can do about it."

I opened my mouth, but no argument came out. Instead, I simply closed it, sighed, and let a small smile pull at my lips. She gave me a soft smile in return, and slipped her fingers around mine before tugging me out of the science room.

She held my hand all the way to my locker and to her car as she opened all the doors for me. And as she drove me from place to place, even going on some abandon road that stretched for miles and miles with nothing but grass and flat land, for an instant, I was able to take a breath.

And it didn't taste as miserable as I thought it would.

* * *

(1) - I like this song, but it's the second half and the ending that really gets to me. Listen to the words. They're feels punching :[ ( watch?v=nNzEtfRW7ys)

**Let's all take a group breath, and revert back to the times were things weren't that complicated. Ino surely needs it. Dem feels, they hurt me.**

**Anyway, I just wanted to casually mention that if you ever wondered what I looked like, I went ahead and posted a picture of myself on my profile. Why? Because if things to smoothly, I'll be gone in 5 months for basic training for the navy. And well.**

**I'd rather spend my last 5 months writing for you guys like we are friends, not silly fans and author. **

**That being said, you may now stalk me. And in turn, I will stalk you, in mysterious ways of course. Cuz, I mean this world is just a mysterious place.**

**Alright, read and review. Tell me what you think. I'll be here! Always am. Always will be.**

**Shycadet loves your faces. Out.**


	27. Storm

**A/N** - _"Protect my heart, she says."_

_"Why, I answer, I'm already heart broken."_

UNNF I HOPED THAT PUNCHED YOU IN THE FACE LIKE IT PUNCHED ME IN MY FACE.

Enough.

Let's get this started.

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto.**

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_Songs used for this chapter - Daughter - Home (mPulse Remix) & We Were Promised Jetpacks - It's Thunder and Lightning (SizzleBird Remix)_

_*This goes to the dorkswaggiest of us all. yup. The only user with "Dorkswagg" as her name. Love ya homie. Sorry it's late.*_

As Tayuya became less and less reliant, Sakura became more and more dependable. While I used to text Tayuya when I was bored, I started a habit of checking on Sakura instead. What was surprising was that she was up to the task. Maybe I was closed minded, thought that there wasn't anyone like Tayuya out there, but Sakura showed all the signs of me and Tayuya in the early stages of our friendship.

She was always there, as if waiting by the phone to simply reply to my text or my calls. During the day time she would send me random pictures of her doing stupid things, most of the time telling me the story of her life. Like how she was at a hardware store and managed to derail a _whole _shelf, causing a huge mess in isle 3. Or when she was at the park with Ethan, and how absolutely curious he looked while meeting other little baby ducks; but then moments later showed a flock of geese chasing her, and then another picture showing how she literally threw the whole loaf of bread in a bag randomly towards a different direction to make a narrow escape… Only to send me a picture of her being chased again.

And this is when I realized that she was an absolute dork, one for the ages and should be marked in history. But I couldn't keep away from her, not when she kept me grinning, laughing, and forgetting…

About Tayuya and the way I felt for her…

Still, a simple wish could never be granted, not when I breathed in this suffocating place called life. No, it always had to be complicated, laboring. I had to always work at something, to struggle. I kept asking myself why couldn't all of this be easier, but then again I never prepared for an outcome that pertained such a losing fight, so I couldn't have possibly cushioned the hard blow.

I don't know what I was thinking in the beginning, and that was the frustrating part; knowing that I sat here and I fell for someone without wondering the consequences. At first it was silly, maybe even cute, now it was choking, heart wrenching.

I may have spent my days with Sakura, but my nights always stayed the same. No matter how much time and effort went into me being happy and laughing, Tayuya showed up at night to remind me just what was so horrid about life to begin with. Then, like a storm coming to a close, our flowing conversations turned into a trickling drip; our crackling laughter crumbled into nothing but halfhearted miserable smiles; and the warmth that used to dance around us so musically when we laid together turned cold and foreign as we kept our distance.

Leisurely, at an agonizing pace, we fell into being strangers all over again. And gradually, I lost sight of who I fell for in the first place...

X

I curled into my sheets, eyes shut tight with my phone squeezed between my fingers and palms. The stinging beneath my eyelids wouldn't go away, no matter how many times I mumbled to myself about how stupid I was being. It was Saturday, and even though I was invited to a party by my friends, I chose to stay home. I was starting to regret the decision, because I had made the choice with a simple hope in mind:

Maybe Tayuya would wander and show up.

I don't know why I still wanted her company; the past month was nothing but heart break day by day. But I couldn't help the fact that I yearned for her presence, because my mind wouldn't let go of the memories of when we were happy. And I couldn't understand what I had done wrong, what caused us to just crumble this way. I knew why _I _was miserable, why _my_ laughs were off and _my_ smiles were distant, but why did Tayuya have to act the same way? Why was she slowly pulling further and further away from me?

I hadn't done anything, hadn't said anything. I kept my heart break to myself, just in hopes to keep her around, to have everything stay the same. But even with my silence, everything seemed to be changing and the only thing I could think of was that I was just slowly being left for Karin. They were becoming closer and closer each day, and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

_Well how about we go see a movie? Cute girl like you shouldn't be sitting at home tonight_

I curled even more into my sheets after reading Sakura's message. The idea was appealing but… I didn't think I could put up a front of being happy, and I didn't want to force her to think I wasn't having a good time. Miserably, I texted her back that I didn't feel like going out tonight.

_Then why don't I come over? We could do something fun._

I bit my lip and simply replied no, like I always did when she offered to come over during the night. Part of it was my silly hopes, and the other half was that I was scared. What if I got attached to Sakura the same way I did with Tayuya, and then suddenly she didn't want to hang out with me either.

Distance was the only way to cushion the blow of something like that happening. That way, if Sakura finally did get bored with me, it wouldn't hurt so badly.

_Come on sweet heart. Just give me the time of day, and I'll help you forget everything._

My heart wrenched and I simply closed my eyes. Sakura wasn't the type to keep secrets from. Though I haven't spoken a word about Tayuya, she still knew there was something wrong with me. Ever since she took me away from school, she's been trying to cheer me up. And even though I denied most of the things she offered, a full month later she was still trying.

"It isn't you," I whispered weakly to myself, "I'm so sorry…"

Just then there was a knock at my window, and my heart dropped at the sound. Wiping my eyes quickly, I rolled out of bed and opened my curtains. Tayuya was sitting there, but as usual she wouldn't look me in the eyes. Pushing pass the twinge of hurt, I opened the window and walked back to bed.

I heard her lightly jump inside as I sat down, scooting back and grabbing the covers to wrap around myself; just hearing her breath made me feel colder inside. My eyes steadily stared at my lap as I pulled my covers closer, listening as she kicked off her shoes. As she walked to sit down at her usual spot- which was against the wall near the end of the bed- I heard the small ring of my phone as another message came in.

Wanting to occupy myself through the silence, I reached for it and read what Sakura wrote.

_Will you at least make a candy trip with me? _

A small smile slipped my lips at the plea. I had recently found out she loved candy, and made trips, even at 3 in the morning, to get huge bag of funsized candies just to hold her over for a week. (2)

_Pretty pleaseeeeee?!_

A soft laugh slipped my lips as I texted her back that I was busy, maybe some other time.

_Alas, I must suffer this fate of uncertain death alone!_

I rolled my eyes, she was such a dork.

"What's been up?" Tayuya cut in just before I could message back. I blinked in surprise, glancing at her. She was staring ahead with her legs propped up, small frown on her face.

"Uh, nothing much," I answered carefully, looking away from her unfriendly expression, "Was just… relaxing."

"Mmm," she replied, shifting her legs to lay flat against the bed, "Sounds peaceful."

"It was," I nodded, turning back to my phone to fiddle it between my fingers, "Just a lazy Saturday night…"

She hummed again in response, her head falling back to rest against the wall. Seconds trickled by, and we fell back into silence.

_Ethan has disappeared. I assume its official batman business… Maybe I should go find him._

I opened my mouth and quickly texted back that she should hurry the hell up and totally find him, he was too adventurous to be lost in her room. Even though it was a surprisingly neat room, unlike mine. For some reason Sakura had everything in order all the time, except for her comic book collection, which sat in the corner in a heap of mess.

_Mom just brought him back and gave me the look. I went on to explain that I cannot stop the bat if he chooses to save Gotham… she hit me in the face with a wet napkin. Isn't that what pimps used to do?_

I snorted, unable to help myself. Shaking my head I told her to stop being an idiot.

_Ethan has a triple degree in nonsense. He tells me to tell you that kissing should solve my idiocy._

Small smile pulling at my lips, I told her that she should find some cute foot to kiss if that was the case.

_Right. Cute foot… Ethans feet are pretty cute… _

_Wait. He just gave me the look. Kay I guess that's out of the question… what about you? I mean not to be rude, but your face is a cute as any foot I know. Can we make an exception?_

I laughed without restraint, asking if she was calling me ugly.

_Oh heavens no. Cute feet aren't ugly at all!_

Just as I was about to press that she totally kept calling my face ugly enough to be a cute foot, my phone was taken from my hand. Actually, not only that, but I was pushed into the bed only to stare up at steady brown eyes as her dark figure looked like nothing more but a shadow. I blinked, wondering what exactly was happening. I was surprised to have Tayuya's eyes on mine after weeks of her avoiding them, but now that I was looking up at her I could sense the flare of irritation within them.

Yet, in a calm voice, she mumbled, "Who keeps bugging you?"

My eyebrows came together at the question, "No one is bugging me."

"All you've been doing is texting away on this phone," she countered, her voice never rising or falling, "Unless you're giggling to yourself, who the hell is it?"

My heart started to thump, and with a deep frown I replied, "I'm talking to my friend, what's wrong with that?"

"Everything when I'm around," she replied, but there was a low rumble to her voice, "It's been 30 minutes, and you've just been glued to this thing."

Before I could protest, she tossed my phone across the room. My surprised eyes hardened to a glare, and growing irritated myself, I snapped, "Well that isn't my fault. All you do is come in here and sit against the wall with nothing to say. Am I supposed to just listen to you breathe?"

"You haven't even tried to strike up conversation Ino," she growled back, her face finally showing emotions as it hardened with a churning fiery gaze.

Watching the way her frown tugged deeply, I countered, "Why would I? All you'll do is give me some grumble and fall silent again, like every other freaking night."

"Maybe if you tried a bit harder, it wouldn't be like that," she refuted with a bite in her tone, "Yet all you do are these pitiful half attempts and then just keep by your phone."

"If you give nothing to work on, how the hell am I supposed to keep a conversation going?" I snapped, not understanding her logic, "But like I said, every night it's just a mumble and you sitting there against the wall."

"Because I can tell when you actually want to talk," she spoke, her voice bubbling into a rumble, "And I can tell when you're only doing things to entertain me. Sorry if that makes me a tad miserable."

"Bull shit!" I spat disgustedly with my teeth grinding together, "Me even trying to make conversation should show that I honestly am interested, but all you do is shut _me _down with all your grumbles and silence. Seriously, I don't know why you still come over here."

"Really?" As quick as a flash of lightening, she went from steady anger to a fuming, churning, rage, all kept at bay by her tight voice and struggled words, "Is that really a question in your mind?"

"Honestly it is," I replied calmly, glaring right back at the dangerous signs she was giving me, "You come in here every night just to sit by yourself. I literally fall asleep before I see you do anything else, and when I wake up you're gone. I doubt you even move, you never talk, and you definitely don't sleep with me anymore. So seriously, why the fuck do you still come by? Why aren't you skipping around doing something better, like Karin."

Her deep frown twitched at the name, and slowly I watched as she unleashed a bit of her true anger. Setting her jaw, she took a second to try to control heself, but I could hear the crackling and boiling fire in her tone as she battled with keeping her fury to a minimum, "Because I made you a fucking promise, or do you not remember the day you were practically crying, telling me that you didn't want to drift apart?"

I laid there, silent as her words hit me. The memory of her promises whispered across my mind, the days of us holding each other seeming distant and old. I took a breath, but there was nothing I could say, because what she had said was true; I forgot all about her promises.

"But you're right," she snarled, pulling herself away from me to sit on the bed, "I don't know why the hell I still come to this place when all we do is sit around and pretend everything is perfectly fine."

I slowly sat up, watching as she angrily tugged her beanie on her head, "Do something better like Karin? Is that really what you fucking want? No wonder we don't talk anymore Ino, obviously I've just been coming over here making some god damn fool of myself." She glanced at me, and I was taken back by her enraged brown eyes that literally burned to look at, "But you're right; this friendship is becoming more and more pathetic as we speak."

I swallowed the hurt from her words back down my throat, but I couldn't help the stinging in my eyes as she stood up to grab her shoes, "I didn't say that."

"You didn't need to," she snapped back, keeping her eyes away from me all over again as she turned back around, "It's obvious, you don't need to spell it out. And you're question was valid, now I'm starting to wonder the same thing. Why the fuck do I keep coming over here if you don't want me around? What the hell am I trying to prove, because the promises don't mean shit anymore."

"I do want you around!" I rushed, the stinging growing more painful as my heart twisted, "You're the one who's been pushing me away."

"Sure," she replied flatly, "Whatever. You should have said it sooner Ino, could have told me a hell of a lot sooner instead of having me in here every night, unknowingly humiliating myself."

"Would you stop crying for nothing," I practically shouted, glaring at her, "Like you're the hurt puppy who should be coddled. You're sitting here saying all these things, but you don't even know half of the bull shit you're spitting."

"I know enough," she roared with a glare, whirling towards me, "Enough to fucking understand. Funny thing is, I've been sitting here for a while, trying to figure out why the hell you've been treating me like I'm some fucking stranger, but it makes sense. All of it does. You stopped wanting me around awhile back, I just didn't realize it until you bluntly said it to my face."

"You're either as high as the damn moon, or you're stupid," I laughed humorlessly while staring directly into your eyes, "Tell me, Tayuya, when the hell did I say I didn't want you around?"

"You just asked-"

"It was a god damn question!" I cried out, cutting her off with a glare as I shoot up from the bed, "One that you fucking answered, but not before picking up some unknown hidden message that isn't even there! I wanted to know, because truthfully I didn't know. You came over here with the same shit attitude since you picked up Karin, and that same SHIT attitude is what you've been having every night for the past 3 months. Treat _you_ like a stranger? You? You're high as fucking pluto right now, you have to be. Because if you think that you've been giving me the friendliest welcome every day, then you're as dumb as the weed you smoke."

She stood there, jaw set with a hard glare at my eyes, but even her fierce look couldn't stop the explosion that happening within me. Whatever I was feeling it was the essence of anger, of pure bubbling hate. It was like the past was starting to hit me all at once, and as I saw the damn memories I grew more and more livid, because I was sick of seeing recollections that would never come back to life.

"I've been sitting here wondering the same thing, thinking the same thing, asking the same thing." I began in a low tone as my body slowly hardened, attempting to keep myself intact as I lost control, "Why is _Tayuya _acting like she doesn't know me anymore? Why does _Tayuya _sit at the edge of my bed every night, frown on her face with her beanie practically pulled down to her eyes? Why doesn't she sleep with me anymore, talk to me anymore, smile at me anymore? What the hell did _I _do wrong to deserve to be treated like a stranger?" My eyes caught hers, and with boiling anger, my words slithered between us dripping with liquid heat, "But you know, every night I kept my mouth shut, hoping something would change. But nothing did, and I had no fucking answers to go by. So I asked a question, because I was curious after you pissed me the fuck off and tossed my phone across the room."

Setting my jaw, I continued in a flat voice, "Why do you still come over Tayuya? What the hell else do you want from me that you haven't taken everything already? The girl I talk to every day, yeah she's been a better friend than you have been for the past month. She sits here and tries to cheer me up because all you do is knock me the fuck down every night with your SHIT attitude and your pathetic mumbling replies," Then with a small laugh, I spat out, "She doesn't even know what this is about; she just knows that something is wrong. She KNOWS something is wrong, Tayuya. How the hell does someone I just met know me enough to tell there is something wrong with me? But a girl who's been across the street for 17 year, a girl who's been my semi friend for like 3 years, and my best friend for almost a year, not see that there is obviously something wrong with me?" Laughing again, I mumbled, "This friendship is pathetic? No I'd have to say you're pretty pathetic if you can't even tell how I've been feeling."

I took a breath, glaring at her with so much hatred and anger. My heart thudded rapidly, and my fists were shaking at my sides. I didn't even know that there were tears running down my face until now. Angrily wiping them away, my tone fell to a fuming mumble as I continued, "You are selfish. I never realized how self-centered you were. For you to honestly think… you have the right… to sit here and talk to me about shit friendships, being treated like a stranger, and humiliation is so off the fucking wall it's ridiculous…"

We were silent for a while, each heart beat feeling an hour long. My mind had shut down, I couldn't even remember half of the things I said, and I didn't even know if I meant it all.

When Tayuya moved towards me, opening her mouth and attempting to speak, I took a step back. Wrapping my arms around myself to hold it together, I turned my head away from her and whispered with the last little bit of energy I had left, "Just leave."

The hand she had stretched to reach me stopped mid travel. And with her fingers turning into fists, she dropped her arm back to her side without a word. She stood there for a moment, and even though I waited, words never came. Instead I found myself standing there, listening as she opened the window and climbed out.

Leaving me all alone.

Needless to say, I cried that night. Hard. I didn't even know what I was more upset about; The fact that we just screamed the most hurtful things at each other.

Or the fact that she didn't even bother trying to stay.

X

In the midst of my fitful sleep, tossing and turning with faceless dreams, I was awoken by a dip in my bed and arms being wrapped around me. My eyes opened slowly, and I stared ahead as I was tugged back into warmth that I hadn't sensed in so long it felt alien. But the breath on the back of my neck reminded me just how it used to be, and I fell back into the heat without much thought.

Of course I knew who it was, who else could it have been, but I was surprised. Our fight was still fresh in my groggy mind, and as the words danced around me I wondered what had caused her to come back. Usually during a fight such as that, we didn't talk to each other for about a week.

Tayuya pulled me closer, wrapping her arm fully around my waist. Sighing, she rested her head so close to me that her lips brushed against my back shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" I asked quietly after she settled under my sheets.

"What do you mean," she mumbled back tiredly, "Of course I was coming back…"

I curled a little, my hand running across her arm as I whispered, "I didn't think you were."

She took a breath, one that sounded exhausted and old, "I'm not the same coward as I once was…"

I didn't know what that meant, but I didn't particularly care. Instead I closed my eyes, floating as her warmth mixed with mine. My breathing was shaky, because this all felt surreal. It had been so long since she held me, and I understood why I fell in love with touch in the first place, but with each passing second I wanted to pull away. I didn't want to be reminded of the little things I missed about her, because there was no way this would last and all too soon we would fall back into that distance silence with nothing but grumbles and halfhearted smiles.

"Let's talk Ino," I heard Tayuya whisper into my ear, forcing me to shiver and curl. But she wouldn't let me create the distance. Instead she tugged me right back into her and locked me there. Reaching my ear all over again, she muttered, "No. No running away. I gave you your space earlier tonight; it's my turn to speak."

"Let's just drop it," I mumbled miserably, hoping to simply keep her warmth here for tonight without another argument.

"We can't," she replied softly as she pressed her forehead against my shoulder and held me tighter, "It's something we need to talk about…"

"I don't want to," I begged quietly.

"Don't do that," she whispered as she curled into me, "I'm scared too, you know."

"I just don't want to fight anymore," I muttered in a dead voice, curling into my pillow and squeezing her arm, "I just want to forget everything. Ok? Can we do that?" Her sigh already gave away her answer, and with my thudding heart I realized there was no way I could get out of this. Desperate, I attempted weakly, "I forgive you, and let's just say you forgive me too. We can just lay here tonight. Just sleep with each other like we used to. I don't care about solving anything."

"But I do," she replied soothing voice, her arm shifting to pull my hand out of hiding and to lace her fingers with mine, "I'm sick of how things are between us. I want to fix it now. And… well if something happens and we decide to just stop talking, at least we won't have to prolong it and be miserable anymore…"

My heart twisted as I shut my eyes tight, the stinging already brewing beneath the surface, "Don't." I begged, my voice beginning to break and crack, "Don't say that. Don't do this. Just don't. Let's forget it."

"I'm really sorry," she mumbled back, her voice finally dipping into misery, "Honestly I am… but I'm not strong enough to keep this up anymore, Ino. So we'll have to do this now."

I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to cry before we even started, but already feeling like this was it; That this was the day I would lose my best friend. I wanted to hide, to go into a closet and sit in the dark, hoping that life would spare me this one last heart break. But I could feel it, the way she held me, the way her breath felt, the taste in the air; there was a storm churning, one that would wipe everything out, but not with destructive winds and whipping lightening. No, everything would simply drown by the rain, flooded until suffocated and suffer by the abundance of substance that was used to keep life so vibrant. (3)

What would happen if the one thing keeping me alive sat here and destroyed me… How could I breathe after that?

"Tell me Ino…" Tayuya started off slowly, carefully, choosing her words wisely while her fingers kept against mine, "What do you have against Karin?"

I smiled miserably to myself, curling my free hand into the sheets and squeezing them as I mumbled, "I just don't like her."

"Yeah I get that," she whispered back, but pressed, "But why?"

"Because she's-" I stopped myself, taking a breath and sighing as I realized I couldn't just bad mouth her in front of Tayuya's face. Opening my mouth, I began again slowly, "Because she isn't the type of person I would hang out with."

"That still doesn't explain why you hate her so much," she pointed out softly, being sure not to push me too much. She was merely trying to nudge me in the right direction, attempting me to answer freely at my own will.

"She annoys me," I muttered lamely.

"You met her once," she replied, toying with my fingers all the while, "And haven't seen her since. I've tried really hard to keep her out of sight and out of mind, but you always seem to find a way to wiggle her into at least one of our conversations almost every night… What do you have against her?"

"I just don't like her Tayuya," I whispered into my sheets.

"Fair enough," she sighed out, shifting and pressing more against me, "But I toyed with an idea that says different."

My heart thumped hard but I kept quiet.

"But maybe I was just being a bit foolish and hopeful," she muttered, more to herself than to me. With another breath, she started again, "Recently, almost every night I come over, you seem to be talking to someone but never toss out a name. Mind telling me who it is?"

My stomach churned in a sick sort of way as I murmured, "Her name is Sakura."

"Mm," she hummed thoughtfully before pressing softly, "And who is she, Ino?"

"She's a friend," I answered, but it sounded like an empty lie, no motivation or imagination helping it seem like truth.

"Same one who took you to the movies that night?" She asked slowly.

Wanting to crawl under a rock, I replied brokenly, "Yes…"

Her fingers twitched, and slowly she pulled her hand away from mine. I didn't speak my protest, the hurt in my chest burning with smoking heat as I felt a bit empty inside without her fingers laced with mine. But I couldn't complain, at least she didn't pull away from me completely.

"I don't like her Ino," she muttered quietly from behind me, her voice level without any luster of life to it.

"You've never met her," I pointed out just as quietly.

"I don't need to," she responded without shame, "I don't like her…"

We fell silent all over again, my heart practically pounding into my ears as this calm, heart shattering storm continued to rain on us both in the midst of the dead night. I simply breathed, staring at my wall as Tayuya's arm felt ever present; assuring me she was still here. But with each passing second, my heart would pound even louder, because I was scared.

Scared of losing her in the very last way I haven't yet. Scared that after tonight, she would never come by at my window again.

And with this fear came a sense of foolishness. I should have never sat there and complained that all she did was sit here at night without talking, and I should have never asked her such a hurtful question. I had forgotten my sense for just a second, a mere second.

And because of that second, I landed us here.

"Do you know why I don't like her?" Tayuya asked gently.

"No," I answered as I curled into my sheets, wishing that I could just keep her forever, that there was no danger of losing her for good.

"Because she seems to have you in a way that I used to, in the way that I so recently lost," she admitted truthfully, her arm pulling me closer as her voice began to shiver in either anger or misery, "She seems to have you wrapped around her little finger, to have all your attention- the attention I used to pride myself in having whenever I showed up." She took a breath, and held me tightly as her words became forced and painful, "She seems to have _you_, Ino. And I feel like I haven't had you in so long… so god damn long…"

Her body began to shake, and with a twist of my heart I wondered if she was starting to cry. Miserably, I attempted to roll over to comfort her, but she wouldn't let me. She kept me locked in her arm, forcing me to keep facing forward. I sighed, but she only held me there. Not knowing what else to do, I ran my fingers across her arm, hoping to ease her with my simple touches.

Her next words were surprisingly steady, and there was no clue to tell if she really was tearing up, "I'm jealous of her, and that's why I tossed the phone across the room. I'm sick of hearing about this friend of yours, knowing that she's always around even though I can't lay eyes on her. I wish she'd just go away, and it's that selfishness that forces me to realize why this is turning into such a shit friendship."

Suddenly she pulled away from me, and with a drop of my heart I rolled over only to catch her sitting up placing her feet on the floor with her back towards me. I sat up as well, watching the back of her head as she ran her fingers through her hair before rubbing her neck with a huge sigh.

Quietly, she continued, "You were right, I'm pretty pathetic. I sat here every night, wondering what the hell was wrong with me and how hurt I was feeling, but I didn't even bother to glance at your face. And if I had, I probably could have seen the same hurt, a reflection of myself sitting there watching me with the most heart stuttering blue eyes. Yet I never did. I was self-centered. Selfish. And I can't believe that I truly am not as perfect as I want to be for you."

My throat dried as my stomach twisted. I could taste it, I could feel it coming. Every nerve in my body was prickling with fear and dread as each word by her slowly counted down our moments together. I wanted to halt time, to beg for just a moment, but I couldn't. No words would come out; no heart felt speech came to mind. I was too scared as I stared my worst fear in the face.

"I understand why I've been so selfish, why I see so onesidedly," she continued quietly, staring at the ground as her words became mumbles that were straining to hear, "It's because I forgot who I was for a second, and who I'm supposed to be. I literally fell into my feelings, my demands, my wants, and because of it I've just been hurting you for so long I can't even remember the last time I've made you happy. And that's the most heart breaking part, knowing that I can't get the smiles out of you anymore, but this Sakura girl can."

No. Just no. I didn't want this to happen. I didn't. Why did she have to over think things? Why did I have to scream at her? I didn't even mean any of the things I said, and I wanted to tell her that, but I couldn't. I could tell, from here I could tell. When she left earlier tonight, she left for good. My last glimpse of the real Tayuya was seeing her outstretched hand. Now I understand that who I was seeing now was a shadow.

A shell.

A goodbye letter in human form, only returning in spirit to give me a final message.

"So, I think the best course of action, Ino, is to stop talking for a while."

My heart cracked.

"I think without you, I can sit back, and think about what is truly important me; what I truly want; and what I'm truly willing to sacrifice for it," she went on, ripping me into pieces with each agonizing word.

"And when we finally start talking again, it won't be like this, ever." Tayuya continued to mumble miserably as she hunched over, her hands going to her face, "I promise it won't. I'll be better for you, aright? I'll be the best friend I'm supposed to be."

I watched as she stood up, slipped her shoes on, and gave me a final glance with a broken smile pulled at her lips as she promised, "Nothing more… And nothing less…"

_Stop_. I wanted to say as she slid open my window.

_Don't do this to me._ I begged to myself as she bent down and climbed out.

_Please stay…_

But it was too late. She closed the window and she was gone all over again, but this time I knew for sure she wouldn't be back, not as shell, shadow, or letter.

I had lost her, and it would be awhile until I got her back.

* * *

(1) - /watch?v=_6anhDxUj1g&list=PLM8k2ZmjGmH6yYLKqCLDtjTHYOwBBEncV (for both songs. ON the same playlist. Just click next. BOOM. DONE.)

(2) - awww yeahhh, I had to throw that in there. Oh? Don't understand the refrence? THEN YOU GET OUT AFTER THIS CHAPTER AND GO READ MONDAY MORNINGS. I'm kidding... lets be real, no I'm not. Get out... Ok no seriously stay, I love you, I dont even care...

(3) Srsly tho. that sentence :Q I wonder if it even makes sense, BUT GOD DOES IT LOOK SEXY

**Love man. Love is the struggle that is so deliciously sweet, its sickening. Best part is, the taste lingers when it goes away. And though sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's really fucking 'stuff your face' worth. And sometimes the burps still taste nice afterwards.**

**Word from Shy, just some motivational nudges in the right direction. Don't be scared. Don't think. Don't over react. Just do it.**

**Nike bby.**

**I'm waiting for my motherfucking money Nike. I literally just SOLD probably 100 shoes and shirts RIGHT there. Go ahead and slip me my well deserved check bruh.**

**Sorry for the language. I get that way when I'm eating bacon. I'm savagly noming on some while typing this. I dont need hands for bacon. I JUST NEED FACE.**

**That kid over there knows what I'm saying, don't you?!**

**Read review. Love me. Love yous. Done and done, through and through. Hope I get some ideas so I can poo-**

**Another chapter.**

**I MADE A RHYME AND I CAN DO IT ANYTIME!**

**Impressed yet?**

**Shhh. I already know you are.**

**Shycadet leaves a sensual wink with love. out.**


	28. Littlest Things

**A/N -**O: Finally another update?

I know. I've been spending my free time thinking, attempting to pick which direction I would go after last chapter. Finally, after scrolling tumblr, listening to tons of songs, and even sitting here listening to thunderstorms from youtube, I have wrote this!

Hope ya like it. Enjoy

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Mads Björn - White Trees_

One month.

One month of my life passed by in the most tormenting way. It was worse in the beginning; the very next day I felt the emptiness Tayuya left, tasted the loneliness she presented, and was sparked with the same hunger all over again. The appetite for human contact, something I felt so deprived of as soon as she pulled away from me that night, took over me entirely. It felt like junior year all over again, but this time I had no motivation to seek out someone else to hold me and call me theirs.

Then again, I didn't exactly need to. Sakura was still by me, unwavering with her ability to make me laugh, smile, and forget if only for a while. She never seriously brought up the moment we kissed, maybe because she sensed I was far too broken to attempt such deep thoughts, but some moments she would tease about it. There was no hiding it anymore, laboring to pretend to be alright when I knew I wasn't, because Sakura had seen me cry for the first time two days after Tayuya left, and made no attempts to ask me why.

She simply held me, tight, hard, mumbling how heart breaking it was to see my tears. Three days later she approached the subject with the upmost caution, and with a shattered heart I mumbled that I still could not explain to her what this was about. And ever since then, I hadn't allowed her to wrap her arms around me again.

Though I was broken and torn, tattered and fragile, I still understood how unfair this was for Sakura. Her kiss and warmth still lingered my lips even 3 months after the fact(2). And though I wanted to feel her arms wrapped around me so desperately, if only to have someone's heat mixing with my own, I refused to break and allow something like that to happen. I knew once I felt her arms around me, I would sob about my problems to her and admit everything that was wearing me down as time trickled on. I'm sure day by day she was slowly losing her ability to hold confidence in me when I expressed that it wasn't that I didn't trust her, it was simply complicated. But in the back of my mind, I understood what was right and wrong.

And expressing my heart break to her would be more selfish and uncaring than I've already been. She didn't deserve to be put on hold with my decision with everything, and she didn't deserve to have to see me every day when she had a crush on me; but she was my only means of survival, and I was foolish enough to admit that one night when I had finally broke and allowed her over.

There were so many mistakes I was making, so many heartbreaking poor decisions. Though I knew it was wrong, I would give into my greed, simply to feel human for the night, but I couldn't help it. There was no confusing the crush I had for Sakura, it's just that first and foremost she was my friend. And what was confusing was attempting to figure out if I liked her enough to replace Tayuya, just as Tayuya so casually replaced me.

The thought hurt, so much so that I curled into my sheets in pure reaction. I didn't want to replace my best friend; I didn't want to lose her period. But as time did nothing to dwindle my misery, the hurt and pain in keeping her in my memories was slowly becoming unbearable; and in hopes to simply survive such pending doom, I desperately attempted to think of all solutions, which included dropping Tayuya completely.

"You can't possibly watch my favorite superhero kick ass if you're under the covers," Sakura complained from behind me after I unconsciously rolled over in my bed to stare at the wall, "I mean, seriously. The best part is coming up."

"I know," I rolled my eyes with a small smile, "We've seen this movie a thousand times."

"That's because the Joker is the absolute best super villain in history," she educated me for the umpteenth time, "Along with Lex Luthor, who is pretty much Batman as a villain. They are both saints of evil-"

"Because the Joker just does wicked things for the laughs, and Luthor is just a pure criminal who's super smart and thinks of no one but himself, which is the very _opposite_ of Batman" I finished for her, rolling my eyes again, "Yes, I know."

"Then whyyy are you faced the other way," she whined as I felt the bed shift. Recognizing her tone, the warning bells in my mind sounded off. Curling, I attempted to defend myself, but it was too late. I felt Sakura's fingers wiggle at my sides as she continued to complain, "It's soooo disrespectful to turn your back on Batman and his crime fighting skills!"

I tried not to giggle, knowing laughter only sustained her in these situations, but couldn't. Biting my lip, I laughed and attempted to twist away, "I'm sorry! Stahp it."

"Nope nope nope," she answered my please with an uncaring tone, "No way. Batman deserves justice after such disregard for his greatness."

"I said I was sorry!" I squeaked as she hit my sensitive spot. Unable to keep from giggling, I pleaded, "Really, I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize to me peasant," Sakura teased as she moved closer, allowing me to catch the grin on her face, "Apologize to Batman."

"I'm sorry Batman!" I cried out, feeling absolutely ridiculous afterwards.

She paused her torture, glancing behind her as if to check that allowing me free was ok with Christian Bale on the small tv screen. After a moment, she pulled her hands away from me with a small smile, "Alright, he forgives you, but honestly you should be careful. Peasants like us can't just go around dissing Batman and all. Not only is it unforgivable, he would probably capture us and punish us."

"I thought that wasn't Batman's style," I countered, catching my breath and rolling back over towards her, but she had decided to face forward again.

"He'd make an exception for us," she replied with a small laugh.

Soon, silence fell as the Joker blew up Gotham's hospital. Sakura snickered at the same scene, always finding it amusing that the Joker jumped when the hospital didn't explode on cue. I smiled slightly, finding it funny that the same small things seemed to still humor her, no matter how many times she's seen the movie. It was almost like Tayuya when she watched The Iron Giant.

My smile slowly slipped away, and just like that memories came flooding back and the same sickening churn in my stomach returned. It was impossible to escape for more than a couple of minutes; I always had to be reminded of Tayuya in some way or another. I wished it to be different, but there were no signs of anything changing anytime soon.

Biting my lip, I watched as Sakura leaned forward, focusing on the movie. My fingers twitched as I grasped my sheets meekly, attempting to control the urge to just hug her. I hated the way I always took up all of her attention, I felt so selfish every single time. It was like I was purposely trying to make everything about me, but it was just that I didn't want to remember anymore, and Sakura made me forget without even trying.

I shut my eyes tight, hoping that I wouldn't give in. I didn't want to; I wanted to sit here and be normal and just not be so sad all the time. And every time I simply tugged at Sakura's shirt or wrist, she magically understood and would casually slip her fingers against mine. The worst part is that she never questioned it, or pushed it any further. She took what she could get, and gave the minimum of what I needed.

But this time around I didn't want to just hold her hand, I wanted to wrap my arms around her, to hold her for just a moment until I was satisfied and strong enough to pull away and deal with the rest myself. It was hard on me to have her here in my room, and it was only the second time. Each time I just wanted her to hold me, but every moment I reminded myself on how selfish that would be.

I bit my lip and shut my eyes, wanting nothing more to just melt into my bed and get away from the world. I was losing my resolve, slowly and surely.

Moments later, unexpectedly, I felt fingers slip across my knuckles and lace gently with mine. I opened my eyes to see Sakura leaning close, her eyes inches away from mine and her breath tickling my lips. Instead of pulling away, I simply watched her as she steadily watched me. Small tug at her lips, she mumbled, "You aren't falling asleep, are you?"

I bit my lip and slid my eyes away, "No…"

"Oh, so you're simply resting your eyes?" She teased, knowing exactly why I had my eyes closed, but, as always, allowing me to dance around the subject.

"Maybe…" I answered quietly while curling into my sheets, the sudden feeling of embarrassment rushing through me as she carefully ran her thumbs across my hand.

"Why are you hiding?" She muttered as she came closer and attempted to follow me under my sheets, "Are you afraid I'll slip and manage to steal a kiss?"

My cheeks burned as faint numb butterflies fluttered across my tummy, slowly burning the sick feeling away, "Sakura…"

"No need to call my name like that," she sighed out as I felt her start to pull away, "I was only kidding."

The way she was pulling her fingers away from mine caused me to slightly panic, the feeling of dread shooting through me as fresh memories of Tayuya came jetting across my mind. Simply out of reaction, I caught her hand and held it tightly, eyes shut as my shaky breaths heated the air under my covers.

I felt her pause her movements, and I could imagine the small frown that would tug her lips, knowing that she was glancing down at my clinging grip. The silence was starting to cause my heart twist, and the stinging in my eyes wouldn't go away. God, this was ridiculous. I knew I had to wipe eyes soon, I could sense that she was going to pull the covers back to check my face because I had already gave away too many signs; but I didn't know how to do it discretely without obviously giving away that I was tearing up. I hoped that she would simply let me hold onto her hand, but Sakura was too smart for that. The bed shifted as she came closer, and in a desperate final attempt, I buried my face into my bed before she pulled the covers back.

Her sigh danced above me, but it wasn't tried or annoyed. It was soft, gentle, caring, but overall hurt, "Come on Ino, it's pretty obvious, there is no point of hiding."

My voice was muffled by my sheets as I sniffed and grumbled, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Of course you don't," she played along, but without conviction to force me to see that I wasn't fooling her.

"You're next favorite part is coming up," I commented, meekly attempting to get her to focus her attention somewhere else.

"I'll just have to miss it," she brushed off simply. Seconds later I felt her free hand come up to touch my hair gently, her fingers running through and brushing away the bit that head away my pathetic tears at the corner of my eyes.

She sighed again, and I felt her move. Seconds past, and it wasn't until the last moment that I realized what she was attempting to do.

"No," I rushed out, stiffening and sitting up quickly, my heart pounding in my chest. Sakura stopped mid motion and by her body language I knew I had guessed right. She was mere inches away from lying with me, and I had no doubts that she would have went to hold me. With a hard swallow I thanked the sun that I had enough sense to pick up the signs that allowed me to stop her in time.

Her frown was deep, but she was careful to not allow me to see it for too long. Quickly turning away towards the TV, she rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled. Her laugh was flat and forced, but her fingers were still tangled with mine, "Calm down, I was only going to tickle you again." She was lying.

I watched her back for a moment before miserably turning away, instantly feeling terrible for shutting her down so hard. Staring down at our fingers, my conscious stirred back to life, and with a sudden feeling of self-loathing, I tugged my hand away from hers. Her hand stayed there for a moment, but seconds later she turned it into a loose fist and pulled it away and back to the front of her. I didn't bother saying anything, knowing that it wouldn't have mattered if I did have anything to say at all. So I simply kept quiet, staring down at my fingers with no small degree of hate for myself.

The fear that felt so real mere moments ago slowly disappeared and I realized this wasn't the past that I was trying so hard not to relive, but the present. Again I fell into thinking of how unfair it was to keep Sakura around like this, and how horrible it was to force her to deal with me almost every day. I curled my fingers into my palm, and watched how the pathetic little digits looked incapable of holding onto everything and anything they clung onto, not without messing up or losing someone completely.

I was simply scared, and I was starting to wonder if I had the right to be.

Sakura hadn't done anything wrong; she had been practically perfect since day one. She was my friend first, and everything after that was her simply poking around, attempting to see if it was alright to be anything more. The more I shut her down, the more careful she was about approaching the possibilities time and again, but it was obvious she wasn't going to give up, she was simply being patient. And her patience warmed me, but made me feel horrible overall. I didn't want her to wait for me; she didn't deserve such a broken person. She deserved so much more than what I could give, but as a frightened rabbit, flinching and pausing in absolute fear over everything the world offered me, I couldn't give much more than an occasional shaky smile, and a halfhearted laugh.

An urge churned inside of me, the feeling of wanting to give her more blooming within the depths of my shattered heart. I hadn't always been so self-centered, so scared for myself. I used to be selfless just like Sakura, giving love for the sake of giving it, and smiling for the sake of smiling. Inside of me, deep inside, the old me stirred to life, and before I could back out and not go through with the idea in my head, I carefully shifted and moved to crawl closer to Sakura from behind.

She hadn't bothered glancing back, the hurt probably still stinging her chest in ways that wouldn't allow her to grant me a fake smile just yet. It hadn't mattered, I'm sure if I saw her eyes the old me would have shattered and went back into her shell.

With a breath, I slowly brought my hand to Sakura's shoulder, and after a pause just centimeters away from her skin, I took another breath and place it gently there. She straightened at the touch, shifting to glance, but I kept her there with a tighter hold of her shoulder, my breathing shallow. Closing my eyes, I took a moment to center myself, and once I was sure I was strong enough, I leaned forward and mumbled softly, "Just… don't move… can you do that for me?"

She shifted again, and I could tell she was struggling to obey my request. Moments later she simply nodded, and waited as still as she could, making her whole body tense. I took a breath, biting my lip to gain some more nerve. Then, as slowly as possible, I gradually dragged my hand across Sakura's shoulder, bringing my other hand to her other shoulder and slipping it across her as well. Shutting my eyes tight, telling myself that this wouldn't be hard and promising that I wouldn't cry, I carefully leaned forward and pressed against her back, wrapping my arms around her chest and pulling her back into me carefully.

My hold was light at first, weak. But as I began to feel her heat mixing with mine, my grasp inched tighter with each passing second until I was at the point of clinging with my face buried into her hair and back shoulder. I simply held her, my eyes shut as hard as I could make them, mumbling over and over that I wouldn't cry, that this was all ok, that there was nothing to be scared of. But the old me was slowly slipping away to go back returning me back into an empty shell, and soon I felt myself starting to shake while my breath heaved and cracked with each passing moment.

Sakura, who had leaned back and simply allowed me to hold her, straightened at the signs of my tears and attempted to turn around to comfort me, but I wouldn't allow her to. I only clung tighter, my mumbles becoming whimpering soft calls, only a breath away from breaking into complete sobs.

"No don't," I begged as she attempted to turn around again as she felt the tears running down and wetting her shirt, "Just don't. Don't. Don't… please. Just sit there. I just… I'm sorry."

"Ino," she called out heart brokenly, obviously torn between obeying and allowing me to have my way or turning around and refusing me to selfish any longer, "What's the matter?"

"I'm just… sad," I choked out as tears began to flood with no hopes of stopping them, "I'm just sad, and I don't want to be. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm always so sorry."

"Why are you apologizing," she whispered, bringing her hand up to me to hold onto my arm, gently stroking her fingers across my skin.

"Because I hate doing this to you," I forced out while my breath was caught in my throat before another coughing weep came tumbling forward as I slowly started to lose the strength to hold back my full fledge tears, "Because I can see what I'm doing, and I don't want to do that to you. I don't want to. I know what happens, and I don't want to. You don't deserve it- you don't. And I'm sorry- I'm really sorry."

"Stop it," she replied in a hard voice, stiffening at my words, "Stop. Ino, seriously," she huffed in frustration when I clung to her harder, forcing her to keep forward. I felt her arms tighten, and I could only guess that her free hand was turning into a painful fist, "Stop crying. Don't cry. You don't need to cry for me."

I simply held onto her, jumping as sobs slowly attempted to escape by climbing further up my throat.

"Please don't cry for me," she begged quietly, attempting to sit there and allow me to hold, but her shifting grew restless, and I knew it was only a matter of time before she would finally put her foot down and wouldn't allow me to be selfish anymore, "Please. God, there's no reason to. I'm fine, I'm not hurt at all. Just smile, you're only hurting me now that you're crying. That hurts so much worse. So stop, alright? You're ok, I'm ok, so stop crying."

I shook, sniffing and allowing my first audible sob to slip pass my lip. She was done being nice, I had crossed the line. To permit a sob to escape past my throat was far too much for her to handle, and with unknown strength, despite my clinging, she stood up and pulled away from my arms. I instantly brought my hands to chest, attempting to hold myself together and calm myself down enough to persuade her that she didn't need to hold me, but any attempt I would have made would have been pathetic and futile.

Turning to me with a hard look on her face, she gathered me in her arms and held me firm and close, allowing me to cry into her stomach. I held onto the sides of her shirt weakly, shaking and jumping as I slowly broke down, knowing I would hate myself later but unable to stop myself from pressing more into her warmth.

"I'm sorry," I continued to sob into her stomach occasionally, "I'm so sorry."

"Stop…" she replied heart brokenly to me each time, "Just stop… please…"

One month.

One month, and I was still being reduced to these tears time and again with Sakura simply holding onto me, hoping to keep me from shattering like glass, despite the fact that I was already cracked.

How long, I wonder, would I have to stay like this? Did heart breaks last long? Was there a way to speed up the process of healing? Did it matter, did I want to heal in the first place? Or did I want to continue to be broken, simply to show my spite towards the world and life in general.

I had to figure all of that before I even attempted to climb out of my hole. But the more I sat in the darkness, the more I became addicted to my unique kind of sadness, leaving me to stare up at Sakura who was just at the edge of my cliff, desperately offering me her hand to my aid. Maybe if I stayed here, I would never be hurt again. Maybe if I stayed here, I would never have to feel heart break from anyone else in the world.

But it would only work if I stayed in my hole, and lived there for as long as I could.

* * *

(1) - watch?v=EBUFvDW-yFw&list=UUkUTBwZKwA9ojYqzj6VRlMQ ( There ya go ) Oh, but there were lyrics that inspired this chapter by this song watch?v=dksGBJeLnQs (It's called the Littlest Things by Lily Allen. Hense the chapter name)

(2)- Not to be confused that this has been 3 months without talking to Tayuya. If you have paid attention, there was the month it happened, the month Tayuya was distant, and now this month without talking to Tayuya. In total. 3 months since the kiss.

**I teared up writing this.**

**Nope I don't care, I admit it.**

**Idk. This is all kind of painful to write, so in turn I hope it's painful for you guys to read. Feelings man. Feelings are so real. Raw. There. Cant touch them, cant see them, but being stabbed in the chest by them makes them all too real. But in the end they are worth.**

**It's better to feel than to accept being dead inside. And I hoped I have stirred some feels within all of you.**

**Read, review. Tell me what ya think.**

**And if you ever have feels that you can't handle alone, my box is free for anything you may need.**

**Shycadet loves you all. Out.**


	29. Hide from you

**A/N - **Omg another chapter, yay?

OH WAIT WUT, IT'S SUPER DUPER LONG?! WUT WUT?!

That's right.

Thats mother fucking right. Lets bask in this greatness.

Oh DON'T you scroll past to go read the story *z snaps* nu uh, you better listen to what I have to say.

So my mom comes in my room and she's like "Umm... what's going on here?" And I kinda just hissed as her cuz I was in the complete dark and whispered in pain "Shut tha door maaather! You're burning my skin!"

And she gives me this look and walks out. At dinner she told me she literally didn't think I was home because I was shut in my room all day.

Yeah... this chapter took away my life for 24 hours straight.

YOU ARE NOW RELEASED PEASANTS. GO. HAVE A FIELD DAY. ENJOY THAT CHAPTER. BE FREE!

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter listed at the bottom~_

"You've been dodging us for weeks," Sasuke complained as the rest of my friends sat along agreeing at lunch one random Thursday, "It's bad enough that you used to disappear on us, but now this is a whole new level. You literally haven't partied with us for about two months."

I rolled my eyes and huffed in exasperation, "It isn't that I don't want to, it' just- I don't know- don't you think partying gets old?"

"Gasp," Tenten spoke the actual word dramatically, bringing her fingers to her lips in horror.

"Oh god, it's worse than we thought," Naruto wailed, his head falling to the table in defeat to hide his hurt.

"Well hold on," Temari cut it, giving me a sympathetic little frown, "She has a point. All we _do_ is party."

"Shit it's contagious!" Tenten squeaked in panic, "This type of thinking is contagious. Abort! Abort the mission Sasuke!"

No matter how much hell these two months has been, I still couldn't keep myself from smiling when it came to my friends being absolute idiots. Rolling my eyes at their theatrical behavior, I attempted to take Sasuke seriously as he turned back to me with a deep frown, "Come on, really? Well even if that's true-"

"OH GOD IT'S SPREADING," Naruto shouted randomly.

Sasuke gave Naruto a quick glare before turning back towards me, "_Even if that's true_, you've had a long enough break from partying, don't you think? It's time for you to leave your room; being trapped in there isn't healthy."

"I have left my room!" I argued back with a glare, "Just because I don't hang out with you guys doesn't mean I am shut in my room all the time."

Well, that was half the truth. Usually if I wasn't shut in my room, I was shut in Sakura's. Bright light was starting to burn my eyes, and I was starting to appreciate artificial light and midnight stars better than actual living people.

"Alright you could be telling the truth," Temari cut in before Sasuke could do anymore damage, "But just like you said, you haven't hung out with us at all. Just give us this one weekend and you can go back into hiding for a bit more." I gave Temari a whining look, but she in turned gave me a desperate pout, "Come on Ino, we are nothing without our Queen Bee."

I narrowed my eyes and gave her a face, attempting to see if I could somehow turn down her meek little sulking expression. Coming to the conclusion that I couldn't, I huffed and tore my gaze away from her. "Why am I the queen bee anyway," I complained as I went back to eating my fries, "You guys do perfectly fine for a colony with no sort of government half the time."

Ignoring Naruto and Tenten's grins, I listened to Sasuke reply simply, "It's all about the love. Now this party is at the lake all the way out of town. Do you need someone to pick you up?"

My thoughts wandered to Sakura before I started carefully, "Uh… I'm not sure. I'll let you guys know."

"Saturday night," Temari chimed in with the details, "Just text us if you need a ride. I don't mind swinging by beforehand. And I'll score us some drinks and snacks, it's supposed to be this epic bonfire thing."

"Do you need a pool of cash for the beer?" Tenten asked with a beaming smile thrown at me, which I carefully returned simply to make her happy.

"It's always good that I don't blow my full monthly allowance on us getting fucked up," Temari joked in reply, but we all knew that was practically impossible. She was rich, if anything she could only blow a solid half if she honestly wanted to go all out.

"I have some cash stashed away," Naruto offered, "I'll take care of the snacks if you want."

I fell back into my silent spot as they slowly melted into their party planning. My mind wandered and I was still a bit iffy about actually going to a party, not knowing if it was the best idea, but I couldn't help but be a tad excited as Sasuke gave me a half smile with a happy little gleam in his eyes. There wasn't much to be scared of, not when I had these guys around, and now that I thought about it, I honestly didn't give them enough attention.

So, maybe trying crawl back into the world of the living wouldn't be so bad if I had them to watch my back.

X

"A party, huh?" Sakura commented after I explained to her what was happening Saturday night. Her eyes were focused on Ethan, who was taking a bath in the science room sink. He had grown so much since when I first saw him; he was bigger with a thicker fluffy dark gray coat. We had to start using two hands to hold him.

"Yeah," I sighed while moving behind her, knowing Ethan was moments away from wiggling his body to spray soap everywhere. Seconds later, I saw a huge glob of suds land right where I was standing, "I'm not sure if I want to go. I just said yeah to get them off of my back for the moment, you know, to think. So I don't know."

"Well I think it sounds like fun," she replied with a glance towards me, grin on her face, "I mean, bonfires are epic, and going out with your friends seems like a nice change of scenery from that fancy room of yours with a dork like me lurking about in it."

"I appreciate the dork that lurks in my room," I teased with a smile, bumping my hip with hers as I went to lean against the sink, "She entertains me immensely."

"Though I slave for you every night, hoping to get the nod of approval to survive one more day as your jester, my queen," she joked while grabbing a small dishtowel from across the room to dry Ethan off, "I have to side with your friends this time around. You honestly should go out."

I pouted, "Well aren't you a bummer."

She laughed and turned towards me, flashing me this heart squeezing smile with her eyes locking right on mine, "I'm merely thinking of your best interest."

"And you don't think my best interest includes a girl keeping me company almost every night, like the upcoming Saturday?" I asked softly, watching as she walked towards me to pick up Ethan. Her eyebrows rose in interest, and with a blush I slid my eyes away.

"Well when you put it like that," Sakura started carefully, tossing her towel on the counter and glancing at me with a small smile, "I definitely have to struggle with not taking back my decision."

My stomach fluttered as I stumbled, "Well you made your choice."

"Sure did," she chuckled before turning and carefully placing a very wet Ethan on the comfy towel, "But it isn't too late for me to admit that I'm starting to regret it."

I shifted and toyed with my fingers, "You can tag along if you want."

"I honestly wouldn't love anything more than to see you looking dressed up and gorgeous for a chilly fall night with friends and an open fire," she tossed out with a small smile and a side glance towards me, forcing me to blush again and look away, "But I can't. Have to take care of Ethan this weekend, so I'll be home with him all night."

"Oh," I breathed out, attempting to act normal, "Nothing we can do about that, I guess."

"Indeed," she sighed thoughtfully, and then paused for a moment before adding, "But, maybe Sunday night I can swing by after sending Ethan to bed, if only to whisper you good night after watching half a superhero movie."

Chest tightening, I shrugged, "If you want."

"Should I start making a list of things I would _want _to do so you won't be confused on if I'm actually being selfless or selfish?" She teased with a slight smile, "Cuz, I mean, I think you'll be surprised with all the things I'm honestly being pretty selfish about; like wanting to see you Sunday night since I won't be able to hang out with you much this weekend."

A small smile pulled at my lips, and with a glance at her I was convinced she was telling the truth. Unable to take much more of her and her smooth little antics, I began to plan my escape. Not that I didn't want to sit here and slowly get lost in the butterflies she seemed to produce in my stomach, but because I knew I shouldn't be attempting to enjoy myself too much.

"I'm going to class," I announced as casually as possible, pushing myself away from the counter to leave. I had come to visit during my art appreciation class, but since I've been acing it all year so far the teacher never bothered with putting a time limit on my constant trips outside of the room.

"Well hold up," Sakura called as she ruffled Ethan dry. He quacked in annoyance, but she didn't pay him any mind, "I can walk you."

"You don't have to," I answered while grabbing my pass from the nearby table.

"The sky is blue, my favorite color is green, Ethan loves the rain, and I don't have to walk you to class," she responded casually, glancing back to give me another stomach fluttering smile, "All random facts, but the truth of the matter is that I want to. So unless you plan on commanding me to stay here…"

I looked away with a smile and a roll of my eyes, "Ok dork, just hurry up."

"Already done," she replied cheerfully as she carried Ethan to his little home. Moments after he scurried to his food bowl, she turned back to me with a grin. I returned her expression with a soft smile, unable to help the way she pulled such small miracles to my lips. Enjoying the feel of warmth in my tummy as she fell into step with me, I listened peacefully as she started conversationally, "So you wouldn't believe what I learned in science class today."

"Why don't you tell me about it?" I offered, entertaining her as we walked down the hall.

"Well Professor Limning was talking to us about galaxies, and he said this outrages statement that proves to be fact," Sakura chattered away happily as I listened in amusement, "He said that 'Even traveling at the speed of light, it would take two million years to get to the nearest large galaxy, Andromeda'. And I start arguing that that's ridiculous and unfair, so he asks me why. I in turn tell him that his statement means two things: we will never be able to explore to our truest potential and we will never be able to greet anyone or anything that is out there waiting for our sign to show we exist."

"Which upsets you the most? I asked, glancing at her with curiosity.

"Both upset me greatly," she admitted with a deep frown on her face, and I knew that was the sign that gave away how deep into thought she was traveling within her own science mind, "This planet only offers so much, and we outgrew it millions of years ago. Sure there are still interesting things to be found, but that's mostly deep under the ocean since we didn't have the technology to travel such a profoundly unimpressive terrain to begin with."

She paused for a moment, shifting with a small smile tugging at her lips, "My brother would have really chewed my ass out for that last comment, but it's true; the ocean doesn't impress me one bit. I never understood what was so fascinating about this earth; it's so boring, plain, and tiring to look at. The wonders are in space, where mysteries lurk behind every star."

"Behind every star," I repeated softly, a teasing smile slipping my lips as I watched Sakura blink and slowly pull herself from her thoughts. She caught my eyes in a daze, then instantly flashed me a smile. Slipping my eyes away from hers, I continued, "It sounds to me that you want to travel space."

"I could only dream about roaming the universe with thousands of stars accompanying me," Sakura sighed wistfully as we turned into the electives hallway, "Still I doubt I could be able to survive out there."

"Why not?" I asked as we approached my classroom.

"Because one star in particular would be missing," she answered carefully as we slowed just before the door, "And I have to admit that she is the most important star of them all."

I blinked and swirled towards her to say goodbye, all the while attempting to decrypt what she was saying. When the obvious hit me, I sucked in a breath and looked away in embarrassment, a slight blush burning my cheeks. She stood there in front of me, her smile small and normal as if what she had just said was completely average and not heart stumbling.

"Anyway," she began, knowing that I probably wasn't able to come up with something to say, "I guess this is your class? I'm not doing much today, maybe we can do homework together tonight."

"Maybe," I answered, still sputtering along to catch up, "I have a lot of math to deal with."

"Think you might need help from a math nerd like me?" She asked as if she didn't already know.

"Most likely," I admitted with a smile.

"Welp I'll help you this time around," she drawled as she pushed her hands into her Thor hoodie pockets, "But next time around, I'll have to charge you."

I rolled my eyes and began to step back, "Yeah, sure, ok."

"What, you aren't even curious what the price is?" Sakura asked with a twinge of disappointment.

Slipping out a soft laugh, I teased, "I'm getting smarter at this. It's probably in my best interest if I didn't ask."

A grin danced across her lips, "Clever girl."

"What can I say, I don't learn the fastest, but I still learn," I taunted, "I guess I'll see you tonight?"

"Yup," she answered, raising a hand in a small wave as she began to walk off, "See ya."

I watched her leave for a bit before slipping back into class. One of my friends noticed the small smile I hadn't hid very well, and questioned who I was just flirting with outside. I only shook my head, but she wasn't very convinced. It didn't matter much to me; I was too busy thinking about other things.

Like how I was so recently compared to a star in the cheesiest dork fashion by an incredibly sweet girl who didn't seem to know the words _giving up_.

XxX

Saturday came sooner than I would have liked. I groaned as I stood in front of my mirror, giving myself a check over to see if I looked good enough to go out with my friends tonight. I'm sure they didn't care, but I did. I mean I wasn't trying to impress anyone, but I didn't want to go out looking like some bum either. It was the first time I would be seeing moonlight that wasn't from my bedroom window, but instead out in a public environment with people my age. For some reason I just really didn't want to look like the death I've been feeling for the past two months.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from tonight, but I was nervous. For some unknown reason I felt like this was a test, an attempt to gauge how long I could breathe without any sort of aid that I seemed to heavily depend on day in and day out. It was like I was being dipped into the real world, and this world in particular always felt like it was under water.

I wonder if I could make it…

"Will you have a ride back, sweet heart?" My mom asked as she was passing by my open door, heading towards the stairs.

"I'll either be getting a ride from Temari or spending the night over there at her places," I answered, turning away from the mirror to give her a strained smile, "Mom, do I look alright?"

Suddenly my father passed by, his eyes glancing at mine before he continued down the hall, "I would say put on an oversized sweater and some baggy pants, but then again I'm your over bearing father."

My smile eased as I rolled my eyes, waiting for my mom's opinion.

"You look fine," she answered with a warm smile, "But now days it seems like you are always missing something, no matter how many accessories you put on."

"Really?" I asked with a blink and a glance down to my scarf and bracelet, "What am I missing?"

"A redhead girl with her very abundant amount of beanies," she retorted softly, giving me a look.

My heart skipped a beat as a wave of certain dread swept my whole body. Looking away, I forced out, "She's been busy."

"I'm sure," my mom sighed before moving down the stairs, "But that doesn't make her any less missed in this house."

I shifted uneasily as I was left alone, knowing the message she was giving me but also knowing that she didn't know the full story despite her guessing that me and Tayuya got into another fight. I understood she wanted me to make up with her, and I'm sure it was more for my best interest, but it wasn't that simple.

Tayuya had decided to stop talking to _me, _not the other way around. This wasn't my decision; I wanted anything but this to happen.

I pushed the thoughts away. It was pointless to sit here and justify to myself why I hadn't bothered to talk to Tayuya at all. And unless I was contacting her by phone, there was no real way to just strike up random conversation with her in the first place. Ever since she left my window that night, I literally hadn't seen her since. She was doing a perfect job forcing us back into the days where we hardly knew or saw each other, but simply felt that we were always there and always across the street.

And unless I'm mistaken, she hasn't moved. She's still there it's just… I never get a glimpse of her now days.

Eventually I got that fatal text from Temari, saying that she was here. I made sure to charge my phone completely, and even brought my charger just in case. That way, even if this night was a complete dud, I could at least talk to Sakura the whole time and have her keep me company. And if it got too bad, I could beg for her to pick me up, and I'm sure she would without much complaint.

Tenten had decided to catch a ride with Temari too, so we chattered away the whole time there. I didn't realize how far this lake was until when we finally dropped away from the city lights and began to slip into complete and total darkness. I'm sure there was nothing but flat land around us while we drove down the road, but it was far too pitch black to see any of it. All we could see was the road, and the constant reflectors that kept us in the right lane.

We rode the darkness for a while, and I started to have doubts on if I could actually get Sakura all the way out here if I needed her badly enough. Anxiously I watched my signal bars drop one by one the further we went on, and I feared I just might be on my own tonight. By some miracle though, I was able to keep one small bar that flickered in and out every so often, it was the only hope I had as we approached the lake.

The place was huge as we bumpily made our way closer, the gravel crunching under the tires nosily. There were tons of cars all parked randomly on the grass, and by the sheer number of them all Tenten was already excitedly saying how this was going to be the best party of the year. My eyes wandered, and though I saw cars that were empty I saw no people or a lake.

"Where is everyone?" I asked while turning to Temari with a small frown, "And where is the lake? This place looks deserted expect for all the cars."

"The lake and everyone else is deep into the woods," Temari answered as she looked for a good parking spot, "There is a trail we need to follow, so I hope you guys are ready to walk."

"Ugh Temari, you could have said something sooner," Tenten complained from the back seat, "I put on heels and everything."

"Don't worry babydoll, I brought a pair of shoes you left at my place. I figured you might wear heels even though you knew we would be at a lake," Temari replied with a grin as she passed over the shoes.

"Oh my god, this is why I love you," Tenten gushed in gratitude as she took them with a beaming smile, "Let's get married."

"I don't think you could handle me, doll," Temari teased with a laugh, turning down a lane of cares that were lined up next to each other. At the very end there was enough space to slip and park right next to a tree.

"Question is if you could handle me," Tenten taunted back as we all unbuckled to get out, "I mean, I'm pretty hard to please."

I shut my door, but Tenten had gotten out at Temari's side. Walking around the jeep to group up with them, I heard Temari reply, "You don't know half the things you tease me about, sweet heart. But if you're ready to cross a line, I'll be willing to show you the ropes."

I blinked and stepped around the car in enough time to see Tenten blushing and looking away. Absolutely confused, because I never saw Tenten blush for _anyone_, I watched as Temari slipped me a wink with a natural little smile tugged at her lips. My mind wondered the possibilities of what could possibly be going on between those two, but I doubt I could figure it out alone. So instead I merely noted that I would have to talk to Tenten about it later.

As Tenten put on her shoes, Temari so politely holding her hand to stabilize her as she balanced on one foot, I walked a little ahead to get a glimpse of the scenery. There was a quarter of the moon out tonight dancing behind some clouds, which made it hard to actually see what I was guessing to be an unquestionably beautiful place to be during the day; At night though, as the tree's loomed over me silently with their shadows blanketing my skin, it felt a bit eerie but peaceful none the less.

"So the trail is over here," Temari announced as she strolled forward, huge cooler rolling behind her, "It isn't that bad of walk, if I can remember, just a decent ten minutes."

"Ten minutes in the dark," Tenten huffed, seemingly back to normal after her recent blushing fit, "We won't be able to see a thing."

As if Temari was waiting for Tenten to complain, she pulled out a flashlight and gave her a smirk, "Am I impressing you yet, because I'm not even trying anymore."

Tenten gave her a small glare as I slipped out a laugh. Before they could both get into it, I walked over and took the flashlight from Temari's hand, "You worry about the cooler, I'll go ahead and hold this."

"Thanks darlin', you're the best," Temari replied with a grateful smile. I gave her a happy one in turn, but before we could talk much more Tenten brushed past the both of us.

"Hurry the hell up," she complained as she practically stomped ahead, "I'd hate to get killed out here; this place looks like it's straight out of a scary movie."

I glanced at Temari, but she only gave me a knowing smile in return. With her amused look, I grew even more curious about the situation, but knew I couldn't bring it up tonight. As a wave of my teenage girl side coursed through me, I felt excited and looked forward to interrogating Tenten about the details of this _seemingly _harmless banter between the two of them. So with a skip in my step, I walked ahead and took lead just as Tenten whirled around, crossing her arms in impatience.

The walk wasn't long at all, and it was pretty fun chattering away in the absolute dark with nothing but a dirt trail leading us. The forest seemed quiet tonight, which was interesting because at home the bugs never shut the hell up. Once in a while the moon would poke its head out from behind the clouds, giving us a small teasing glance of all the trees around us with the bushes that wiggled at their feet. I almost felt sad when we finally started to hear the gentle hum of massive groups of people talking, and soon after the thumping beat of music being blasted from some random direction.

But what had me stopping dead in my tracks was once we hit sight of the lake. There were tons of people who were crowded around it and a couple of groups hanging around the forests rim. Tenten's words came to mind as I simply stared in amazement.

"Oh man," she whispered excitedly as she slowly walked past me, "This party is going to be a fucking blast."

Temari walked up to me and nudged my side with a grin, "Are ya glad you came yet? Cuz even I have to admit, this is going to get pretty wild."

"Who are all these people," I mumbled in amazement, "They all can't go to our school."

"I'm not sure who started the party," she replied with a shrug, but it didn't look like she cared much, "All I know is that Konoha High got whiff of it and it spread like wild fire. I'm guessing everyone in our county is here, all five school districts."

"Oh my god," I stumbled, suddenly feeling as excited as Tenten, "Holy shit, this is going to be epic."

"I knew you'd think so," she said with another grin before pulling ahead to Tenten, "Come on, I told Naruto and Sasuke to save us a spot near the lake. Hopefully they could handle that one little mission."

I followed them, just watching everything in wonder. As we grew closer we started to run into people who were hanging out by the trail, some smoking, others drinking, and the rest just wandering about. It was funny because some would just watch us walk by, but others who were super friendly would give us a grin and cheer us with their beers, as if they were happy more people were stumbling towards the lake.

Soon enough we reached Naruto who was waving us down and Sasuke who was standing next to him with his hands jammed in his pockets as usual. They had a nice set up for our little spot by the lake; There was a huge blanket on the ground with two other coolers that they brought that didn't include Temari's. There were even pillows to lay down with, which I noted in appreciation because I could simply feel that we weren't going to be leaving anytime soon. Just as we were close enough, Sasuke walked up and gave me a big hug, picking me off my feet with ease.

"Omg stahp," I complained, but smiled as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Just happy to see you made it," he replied as he put me down with a smile, "How was the ride? Long as hell, right?"

"Yessss," Tenten answered for me as she walked over to the cooler to grab a beer with Naruto. Temari bumped Sasuke's fist as Tenten continued, "I didn't think this place was that far, but holy hell we were driving for _hours_. How the hell are we going to get home tonight if we have to deal with that all over again?"

"Well I won't be drinking much tonight, just to make sure we stay together and nothing crazy happens," Sasuke answered, taking my hand and tugging me along as he went to sit down. Dragging me to sit on his lap, he continued, "But just in case I'm too fucked up, we grabbed Naruto's dad's old school van. We tricked it out inside, and it might be a tight squeeze but we should all be able to sleep inside of that tonight just in case."

"Oh my god, a hippie van?" Tenten asked excitedly with a laugh, "This night just keeps getting better, that's absolutely perfect!"

"Sure is," Naruto chimed in, walking over to hand me and Sasuke a beer, "You guys came in a good time too; they'll be firing up the bonfire soon."

"Do they have it in a safe spot?" I asked, worriedly looking around at all the trees, "I'd hate for Smoky the bear to come whoop are ass for starting a forest fire."

"No worries, we checked it out our self," Sasuke answered as he tickled my side teasingly. I wiggled away, but he merely pulled me back to his lap with a grin, "They have it near the sandy part of the lake, even put down a rope line so when it's lit no one will get close unless they are an absolute idiot. Everything's legit."

"What's been happening so far?" Temari asked as she sat next to Tenten and Naruto on the blanket.

"Not much, it just got crowded believe it or not," Naruto answered with a sip of beer, "We stayed around the area though, to make sure no one would take our spot. I guess in a few we could venture, see who's around."

They began to chatter, but I was happy to sit and look around in silence. I watched as people walked about, laughing and drinking casually. There was a group that set up a spot near ours, and a couple of times I caught some guys looking over. Embarrassingly enough, when their eyes locked on mine, they gave me an easy grin and held up their bottle in cheers. Unable to help my smile, I wiggled my bottle back at them and took a sip.

"Making friends already?" Sasuke whispered close to my ear.

I glanced back at him with a smile, "They seem like friendly people."

"Yeah well, don't think you'll be skipping around with them," he answered with a small smile, "You'll be far too busy tonight to mingle with strangers."

I rolled my eyes, knowing what he meant. I could only imagine how many dances I would be force into just because they were idiots and acted like they didn't see me every day at school. It was ridiculous, but I didn't mind too much. As much as I hated to admit it, I missed hanging out with them outside of school, and this party was absolutely perfect so far.

Just as predicted, as soon as we all finished our first bottle, Sasuke tugged me along to go dance by the lake where the music was slightly louder. I couldn't help but laugh and smile the whole time, wiggling around without much care of trying to show off. Sasuke was having fun too, doing dumb old school moves and other random break dances. Around us the rest of the gang joined, Tenten dancing with Naruto, and Temari managing to pick up a girl to dance with. I secretly wondered to myself how smooth she could possibly be, because the girl looked really pretty. I'm not sure why, but it never occurred to me that Temari was capable of having 'game.'

We eventually switched partners, me dancing with Naruto and Tenten with Sasuke. Naruto grinned as he grabbed my hand and slickly twirled me around to dance on him, as if testing me to see if I still had the skill after being shut in my room for so long. I think I surprised us both when I managed to actually press against him and move in sync with him and the music, but I believe it was only because I was so comfortable around him as a friend that everything seemed so natural; I doubt I could do it with some other random boy.

After the dance we stopped to get a drink, all chattering away cheerfully. Temari came over and wrapped her arm around me, giving me a grin and telling me how I owed her a dance of her own. I smiled and promised, but not before glancing at Tenten to see if there were any clues I could catch. Unfortunately enough, she carefully avoided watching us and made me wonder if I was simply just _hoping _there was something weird going on between them.

Sasuke came over and kept me company as we drank for a bit, but soon after was asked to dance by some random girl. He gave me a look, but I simply grinned and shooed him off. Handing off his beer to Naruto, he went back to the lake.

After a while, Naruto stood and announced that he was going to walk around for a bit. I was sitting on the cooler as he left, and wondered where he would be wandering off to. Temari and Tenten were talking to each other, but every so often attempted to pull me into the conversation. With a smile, I figured it would be best to walk off as well and with a small announcement of my own, I informed that I would be near the bonfire if anyone needed me.

"Just keep your phone on you," Temari said with a small frown, "This place is huge, and there are a lot of people here. We wanna make sure you're safe."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled, "Don't worry; I'll make sure I have my ringer on high with my vibration on."

"Tell me how it is when you get back," Tenten chimed with an excited wiggle, "I can see the huge fire from here, I wonder if it's super big."

"Ok," I replied, "Just make sure you two save us some beer."

"Seriously if we drank this much, you'll have to perform an intervention," Temari commented with a wary glance at the cooler, but I merely laughed and waved as I walked off.

I kept the bottle tops to my beers in my pocket to keep count on how many I had. So far, I was on my fourth with it still cool in my hand and half full. I took a sip as I walked, glancing around at the people while making my way closer to the bonfire. As the distance shortened, the crowd grew thicker. Soon I was side stepping people who were walking and squeezing in tight spaces to get a closer look at the huge flame that towered over all of us. With each step I felt the heat, and soon my whole body felt flush as I stood at the rope line, looking up I wonder as I listened to the loud cackling and popping sound.

It was honestly the single most amazing thing I had ever saw, and I couldn't look away from it because it felt as if as I did the memories of the flame wouldn't do the actual scene any real justice. The heat swept my face and licked my skin continuously, and while at first it felt delicious, moments later I began to grow insanely hot. So just before leaving, I pulled out my phone and attempted to get the whole thing inside of my picture frame. It was too big, so I took two: one of the bottom all the way to the middle, and one of the middle all the way to the top.

Instantly I sent the pictures to Sakura, figuring she would enjoy it the most. Seconds later, as I was weaving through people to get out, her text came through.

_Holy crap that is epic!_

I grinned as I quickly replied that it was amazing and I wished she was here to see it.

_So many regrets in not being able to go. Make sure you get a pic of the ashe pile afterwards! If that thing ever goes out anyway, it's freaking huge._

I laughed and was just about to text back, but out of nowhere I was swooped up from behind and carried away in a different direction, spilling beer all over my arm.

"What the hell!" I began angrily, twisting to glare at my capture only to find out it was Kankuro. My eyes widened in shock as I stumbled, "Wait, what the heck are you doing?"

He gave me a grin, but it was off as he worriedly glanced to his side, "Sorry lil Kat, it's an emergency."

I didn't know what else to say but, "Huh?" Yet it wouldn't have mattered, I doubt he would have stopped to answer any of my questions. He continued to carry me off to the woods, and when we were in deep enough, he put me down carefully and took a step back with a wary rub of his neck.

"Sorry about that," he began, taking another quick look over at the bonfire before shoving his hands in his pockets, "Uh… What's been up? I haven't seen you around in a while."

"Um, nothing much, just homework and school," I answered slowly, glancing over to where he was so carefully checking every so often, "Kankuro, what the hell is going on."

He gave me an expression that was close to pained as he shifted uncomfortably, "N-nothing. I just. Well I saw you and I got really excited is all."

I could tell he was lying, and my mind began to churn with the possibilities. Still there was no reason to think about it, my heart was already beating hard as the answer was already probing at the far outskirts of my mind, "Oh really?"

"Yeah," he replied quickly, shifting again, "I mean come on, when's the last time we actually talked. I thought we were supposed to be girlfriend and boyfriend."

"I'm your girl as a friend," I corrected, giving a shaky smile, "And it's probably been like 2 months."

"Well there was that one time at lunch, when you gave me the sensual little flick of your finger when I stuck my tongue at you," Kankuro offered.

Despite my growing uncomfortable mood, a short laugh slipped my lips, "I was angry that day."

"I could tell," he joked with an awkward laugh as well, then fell silent.

I sighed while shaking the beer off of my arm, "She's here, isn't she?"

Kankuro jumped at the question, and frowned as he answered, "We didn't think you would be here tonight, or we would have never forced her to come with us. You haven't been at any other parties, we figured…"

"I wasn't going to come," I replied as my stomach twisted nervously, "But my friends convinced me to come out as well. For some reason, I didn't even think about you guys being here. I literally haven't seen her in so long… not even at school."

"She's been…" he began before slowly coming to a stop. With a set of his jaw, he forced out, "She hasn't been the best. So, we were trying to cheer her up tonight. It's been getting pretty ridiculous, she doesn't even hang out with us anymore- only with some other bitch that for the life of me I can't even bother to remember her god damn name because she's such a fucking asshole."

My eyebrows rose at the sudden anger in her tone, but my heart dropped at the information, "She's still hanging out with Karin?"

"Yes," he answered with a deep frown that looked incredibly angry for someone I knew to always be smiles and laughs, "And it's irritating because we keep getting ditched for her, and we don't even like her. But the worst part is I don't have a fucking clue what any of this is about. One day Tayuya was fine, the next she's completely shutting down. I asked around, and no one else knows but Kiba. Then that bastard won't even tell us what's up because he says it's none of our business." His jaw twitched as he angrily bit out, "And that just makes me want to kick his ass and force him to get a fucking clue. Tayuya is all of our business, just like I would be theirs or any other which way you want to say it."

I shifted anxiously, mumbling, "We got into a fight."

"I figured as much," Kankuro sighed as he attempted to calm down, "But really, what happened?"

I bit my lip as I thought back to that night, and just brushing across those memories tightened my chest, "I don't know," I muttered brokenly as I watched Tayuya pull away and leave me all over again. Voice cracking and eyes stinging, I forced out, "We got into a fight, she tossed my phone and I got pissed and I just yelled all these awful things to her. Then, she came back, and I didn't think she would but she did. But she only came back to tell me she needed space to think, and something about what she really wanted- I just… I don't even remember, I was too hurt and I can't even remember what she said."

He ran his hands through his hair and gave me a sympathetic frown. Sighing again, he looked away and mumbled, "Listen don't worry about it. I guess it really isn't any of my business, but I'm doing what I can to help her out, you know? So… honestly Ino, don't take this the wrong way, but if you could just... try to keep away, ya know? Just keep a look out for us and if you spot us just go into hiding or something…"

My chested tightened even more as I nodded quickly, understanding what he was saying. He gave me a broken look, and pressed, "I don't mean this in the wrong way. And I'm sorry if I'm hurting your feelings, really this is a blow to my gut too, I promise you it is. We love you, and miss the hell out of you, but I just don't think… I don't think she could take seeing you here tonight, Ino, not right now. I don't know what the hell is going on with her and what she is thinking, but I really do believe she isn't ready. And I'm just… I'm just trying to be a friend, you know?"

I gave me a struggled smile and nodded some more, "Don't worry about it, Kankuro. Really, I get it."

My words did nothing to ease him; actually he only looked even more broken at my words. He fought with himself for a bit to say something more, I could tell by the way he shifted and shoved his hand in his pockets, but before anything else could be said Sasuke came out of nowhere.

I have no clue how he found me, but the look on his face tipped off that it was better if I just kept quiet. He strolled over, hands in his pockets with blank features expect for the frown that tugged at his lips slightly. Not even bothering with giving me a glance, he came up to stand next to me and said in a flat tone, "What's up, did you need something?"

Kankuro, who was just so recently giving me this sad expression, straightened at his appearance. Frown of his own now pulling at his lips, he stared right back into Sasuke's eyes and shrugged while answering, "Was just talking to Ino for a bit, relaying a message and all that."

"Well did you get your message across?" Sasuke asked plainly.

Kankuro gave a smooth smile, "Sure did."

"Then why don't you go ahead and wander back to your friends."

I gave Sasuke a glance, uncomfortable about how rude he was being. Kankuro didn't seem to mind though; actually he thought it was funny. Laugh slipping past his lips, he gave a grin and replied, "You know guy, I think I'll go ahead and do that. No need to hover around such fucked up company. See you around, prick." But then with a different attitude towards me, he gave me a warm smile and said, "It was nice talking to you again, Ino. What I said was true, we miss you. Hopefully all this nonsense can be solved so we can hang out again."

Then with a half wave, he twirled around smoothly and walked off. We watched as he left for a moment, and when he was out of sight, I sighed and gave Sasuke a wary look. He slid his eyes away and mumbled, "Don't even. I was worried."

"Of what," I rolled my eyes as we began to walk back to our spot, "It was just Kankuro. We used to hang out all the time."

"We aren't stupid as you believe, Ino," he mumbled back in return, stepping over a branch as we passed tree after tree, "We know who they hell he is, and we know his group of friends have something to do with whatever is wrong with you. Needless to say, we don't like them."

I was just about to argue, but I caught sight of Naruto before any words came out. He was leaning against a tree, arms crossed and waiting patiently. When he spotted us, he pushed himself up and watched us as we made our way closer. He didn't look so happy either.

"What are you doing here?" I asked when we were close enough.

"We figured we would have to fight some bitches tonight," Naruto responded in a tone of seriousness, "But Sasuke told me to just wait here and he'd call if he needed me."

I opened my mouth in shock, and then with a flare of anger I directed my attention back to Sasuke, who was avoiding my eyes. Huffing, I stomped ahead, "What the fuck is wrong with you idiots?!"

"We were just looking out for you," Naruto called after me.

"Well you better watch your backs," I shouted heatedly as I continued to leave them behind, "Cuz I swear I'll be murdering you guys myself."

X

Despite me being pissed at them, I couldn't stay that way for long. Eventually I cooled down, as I always did, and attempted to see it in their point of view. And though I felt they were being incredibly over bearing, I knew they were just trying to look out for me as Kankuro was looking out for Tayuya. Tonight was just a night of protecting what people cared for, and I knew I would do the same for any of them.

Still, my sad mood couldn't be brushed off so easily. My eyes constantly wandered to see if Tayuya was near, dreading to have to lay eyes on her after so much time has passed between us. Of course though, she was nowhere to be found, and I couldn't figure out if that was a good or bad thing.

I tried not to think about it too hard though; instead I sipped my beer and kept my attention on my friends. It hadn't looked like Temari or Tenten knew what was going on, and Naruto seemed to have dropped the issue all together, but Sasuke continued to glance at me occasionally, as if to check on how I was doing. Sometimes he would catch the frown on my lips, and in his feeble attempts to make me feel better- whether he thought I was mad at him or upset about the situation- he tugged me over and wrapped his arms around me as I sat between his legs on the ground.

The party was still bubbling in its full potential. The best part about having a bash in the middle of nowhere was that there wasn't a time limit on how long you could blast music for. The beat was constantly thumping in the background, and throughout the night Naruto and Sasuke would be asked to dance, along with Tenten and Temari. Sometimes I was asked as well, but I let them down as gently as possible. I wasn't even in the mood to entertain myself, there was no way I could entertain a random cute guy.

Mysteriously I was left alone as my friends hung out by the lake dancing with beers and having fun. I was having fun too, just in my own pathetic sad way. Feeling like a complete downer as I sat there alone like some loser, I decided to go wander towards the nearby woods. Anything was better than sitting there looking pitiful.

I made sure my phone was in my pocket just in case my friends had a heart attack and started spamming me with calls, but I doubted I would be gone long. I only wanted to stretch my legs, and the complete darkness that danced beyond the forest's rim seemed strangely inviting.

I stumbled about, my eyes not completely adjusted and I was possibly a bit tipsy. As soon as I reached the first tree though, a warm feeling spread my tummy and for the first in hours I actually felt mildly ok- like I was able to breathe. Taking in a whiff of the forest, I sighed and kept walking, my mind completely blank and body feeling at peace.

Even so late at night, there still seemed to be some people who were walking around. Some gave me small hello's as I passed, other's minded their own business; either way I trekked on, getting further and further away from the lake, the noise, and my friends. It was nice being alone, as weird as it was to admit. It was like I was home all over again, keeping myself company and feeling completely comfortable and warm.

I turned towards the direction I knew the bonfire was at, and saw how its light still illuminated that area of the sky. It was insane that the thing was still scorching away after so many hours, and with some amusement I toyed with the possibility of me being warm because of that outrageous flaming pit.

Soon, my walking slowed and eventually I simply stopped, looking up at the thick trees that hovered over me. I took another breath, and sighed it out carefully, feeling so much better than I did a mere ten minutes ago. Just as I was gathering myself enough to go back, I heard a voice come from the side of me.

"It's pretty nice out here, huh?"

I blinked and glanced around to notice a boy sitting on the ground, leaning against the tree right next to me. I jumped in surprise, swearing he wasn't here a second ago, but he only offered me a smile and a show of his hands; one was empty, the other held something smoking, what I figured to be a blunt, "Woops, sorry. I thought you probably didn't see me here, figured it was only polite to say something."

"Oh," I breathed out, holding my chest while my heart raced as I giggled, "I swear to god you just scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry about that," he grinned, his orange hair rustling as he plopped his hand back to his side, the other pulling the blunt to his mouth. As he puffed out smoke, he added, "Maybe I should have hid better."

I took a couple of steps closer in curiosity, "Who were you hiding from?"

"People," he answered plainly, and then continued with a smile, his light brown eyes twinkling with amusement, "But I mean if a pretty blonde like you could find me so easily, I obviously didn't try hard enough."

I pressed my lips together and started meekly, "Sorry, I was just trying to get some air, but I've heard I have this knack for finding peoples hiding spots."

He laughed and tossed a smile, "Is that so? Guess it just isn't my night then."

"No it still can be," I replied with a sweet smile, "I didn't plan on staying long. I was actually just about to head back."

"Well hold on," he started as I began to walk away, "I didn't say anything about not enjoying your company."

I glanced back; not at all surprised that he stopped me. Taunting, I retorted, "But I thought you were hiding away from people?"

"Well give me the chance correct myself," he offered as an easy grin slipped his lips, "I was trying to hide from the rest of the world, but I guess what I was really doing was searching for you."

My heart stuttered, but I was careful not to show it. Instead I gave a smirk and walked back towards him, "That was pretty smooth for a boy hiding in the woods."

"What can I say? Sometimes I think I'm cool enough to try to pick up gorgeous girls like you," I gave him an amused smile, and he grinned in return. As I approached, he offered me his hand, "My name is Yahiko."

"Ino," I replied as I shook his hand once politely. Afterwards I sat next to him, strangely feeling friendly enough not to mind the small amount of space I left between us.

He gave me a glance, his orange wild hair tickling his forehead as his brown eyes steadily watched me, "So, what really brings you out here?"

"Problems with my life, just like any other high schooler," I brushed off in reply, but smiled and countered, "What about you? Are you really just trying to hide from the world? I mean it's a party, and the whole world seems to be here."

He gave a small laugh before looking away and smoking a bit more. Courteously blowing the smoke in the opposite direction of us, he answered, "Well I came here with friends, but I have this issue where I like to smoke in solitude, so I wandered over here."

"Oh, so you only came out here to smoke?" I asked with a teasing little nudge to his side, "And here I thought you were dark and mysterious."

His smile tugged ever so slightly as he shrugged, "You never know. Maybe if you take the time to find out, you'll find some mysterious things about me."

"Mm, I would if I wasn't so self-centered," I sighed and leaned my head back to stare up at the sky, "But unfortunately I have way too many problems to sit here and try to decrypt another person. You probably wouldn't want me around anyway, I'm a total bummer and I'd kill your vibe."

"All I'm hearing is that you think I'm a shallow guy who smokes weed," he mumbled as he put a blunt to his lips again. Huffing away the smoke, he gave me a small frown, "Is that really what I look like?"

"No," I answered truthfully, "I'm just attempting to protect your best interest."

"You never know, maybe my best interest is you…"

I glanced over only to catch his eyes. Giving a small smile, I looked away with a shake of my head, "If you honestly want to hear my opinion of you, I would be happy to give it."

He pulled one knee up closed to his chest and propped up an elbow, "Sounds interesting; I'm willing to hear what you think I'm all about."

"Not entirely, just based on the five minutes so far," I informed while bringing my knees up as well, only to hold them close against me as the chilly wind nipped at my exposed skin, "I think you're sweet, nothing but smiles most of the time, but every so often you get in a mood to be alone. I don't think you pay attention to a lot of girls, maybe because of the comment you made earlier about 'being cool enough'. For some reason I get this vibe that your outwards impression towards the world is 'everything is just for shits and giggles', but on the inside you might see it as more than that but you keep it to yourself because you feel like it's no one's business but your own..."

I paused, and we sat in silence for a bit. I peeked a glimpse at him, but he was already watching me with tugged up smile at his lips, "Well that was descriptive for only five minutes," he commented as he brought up the blunt.

"Aren't you going to tell me if I'm right?" I asked while picking at the grass on the ground.

"Like I said princess, you'll just have to stick around if you want to figure me out."

His words struck like fire to my heart, and instantly the hair at the back of my neck prickled. My eyes wandered back to him and for a moment I just watched him steadily. He noticed me staring and glanced over with a smile, a questioning look in his eyes. I bit my lip and looked away, muttering out softly, "You remind me of someone."

"Mm," he hummed in response, nodding in thought, "I'm sure whoever they are, they are pretty cool people."

I bit my lip and kept silent for a little longer. My thoughts wandered towards the direction I was trying so hard to keep it away from all night. I couldn't help but think about Tayuya's smile and her silly little remarks. I still remembered so clearly on how she would give me her grins, and acted so care freely. Then I remembered the nights she would sit against my wall, her palms holding up her head as she silently let time fly past.

Her words wandered past my mind and rang softly in my ears.

_I don't know… it makes the world seems a little bit nicer._

My stomach churned as I mumbled out randomly, "Aren't you going to ask me to smoke with you?"

His eyes wandered back over to me, and with a small frown he replied, "Don't take this the wrong way, but you honestly don't look like a girl who smokes, so I didn't offer."

"I'm mysterious too," I said hardly above a whisper.

"I'm sure you are, but I don't think your mysteries include smoking," he countered carefully.

"I heard it makes the world a little bit nicer," I explained softly.

His eyebrows came together, and with a more of a frown he muttered, "Yeah maybe just a bit, but are your problems worth it?" I merely shrugged, and I heard him sigh in response, "Listen, I don't mind smoking one bit. People talk in my ear all day about 'Drugs drugs drugs, bad, addictive, terrible habit' but I don't give two fucks about what they say, because to me it isn't bad at all. For some people it's comforting, for others it's just a way to have a good time. Either way I'm not judging them, and could care less if they are judging me." He huffed and ran his hand through his hair, struggling to make sense, "So don't get me wrong, I don't care if you smoke with me or not. I don't mind one bit, and even though I like smoking solo, I think having you around would actually lighten my terrible mood I have all the time. But... Forgive me for saying this, I don't think you really wanna do it."

"But I do," I argued weakly.

"Well why don't you try it another night," he offered, trying to accommodate me, "You know, when you don't have a couple beers under your belt."

"I just want to try it," I brushed off his offer with a glance at him, "It can't be that bad, right? And just… it seems like a good way to let go of everything."

His frown was noticeable as he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Fighting with himself, he asked quietly, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

I bit my lip and stared at the ground, my heart pounding as I nodded silently.

He huffed again, and I could tell that he was thinking he might regret this later. But, because he was a sweet guy, he shifted and held out the blunt to me, "Alright… but Ino you can back out at any time, I wouldn't care."

I gave him a shaky smile, unable to use my words to tell him that I understood. Then, after a taking a shuddering breath, I reached out to grab it.

It felt weird between my fingertips; I'm not sure why I thought it would be heavier, maybe it was because my tongue felt like lead as I attempted to swallow the lump in my throat. My heart was racing, and I was a bit scared, but also deep down I didn't care anymore. I was sick of caring, and I think that's what lead me to ask. She said it makes the world nicer, I wonder how many times I would have to smoke to make everything simply disappear. Once? Five times? A whole other blunt?

Did it matter?

No… because I no longer cared.

I brought the smoking bud close, and just as it was inches away, I took a heartbreaking moment to reconsider my options. But how I felt wouldn't go away, I honestly didn't give two fucks, and with that realization I closed my eyes and pressed it against trembling lips.

The next thing I know, I'm being yanked up to stand. I opened my eyes with a blink, confused, but I couldn't even gather my senses because I was met with outraged brown eyes glaring down at me. My heart sunk as I recognized the shade immediately, and I didn't know whether to cry or curse about the absolute _dumb_ luck I had _all_ the time.

Of all places- of every single spot on this godforsaken earth, how could she have possibly found me here?

"Are you insane?!" Tayuya shouted loudly as she held my wrist tightly, "Are you absolutely out of your fucking mind, Ino?"

I was too stunned to say anything. I simply watched her, mute.

Yahiko, who was still sitting beside me, stood up calmly and shoved his hands in his pockets as he crushed the blunt that had fallen to the ground under his shoe. Then he asked in a flat voice, "Is she your friend, Ino?"

I looked back at him, and noticed the steady anger that seemed to be churning in his eyes. He looked as scary as Tayuya at the moment, and that was a very serious statement to make. Gaining my senses, I snatched my wrist away and stumbled out my reply, "Yes, she is, don't worry."

"You sure?" He pressed, his eyes never leaving Tayuya's enraged ones, "Cuz she seems pretty fucking crazy from here."

"No, she's my friend, honestly," I assured, grabbing his arm as he took a step towards her. My touch brought his eyes to me, and with a trembling smile, I locked eyes with him steadily and repeated, "No it's ok. She's my friend, really. She's just…. _extremely_ pissed off."

Yahiko set his jaw and gave another glance at Tayuya. With a mumble, he asked, "You want me to stick around for whatever is about to go down?"

I smiled, absolutely amazed on how I found such an amazing random person to keep me company for the mere 10 minutes we had. I had just met him, and he was already looking like Sasuke with his silent anger and over protectiveness. Shaking my head, I muttered, "No just go ahead and leave; it isn't as bad as it seems."

He didn't look convinced, but he knew better than to stick his nose in someone else's business. Then, pulling out a random pen, he took my hand and scribbled down his number. I looked up at him in question, but he only stared down and muttered calmly, "If you need me, for anything at all, just call me alright?"

Still so amazingly grateful, I nodded without having the words to speak. Giving me a nod as well, he glanced back at Tayuya with a deep frown, "You should cool down a little."

"Fuck you," Tayuya spat with a glare so intense and flooded with anger that I flinched, "Just get the fuck out of here, you've caused enough trouble."

"Me?" Yahiko countered with a step towards her, "Is that what you really think?"

I grabbed his arm again, and he turned back towards me with a frown before sighing.

"Honestly. I don't care when, I'll wait for your call." He told me seriously. I bit my lip and nodded, and with a sigh, he struggled to gain the strength to walk away from me and back to the lake.

I watched him go until he disappeared, and as soon as that happened Tayuya's shout came whirling back, "What the fuck, Ino!? Are you drunk?"

I swallowed, attempting to steal myself, but it was hard when my whole body was shaking. Two months. Two months I haven't seen Tayuya, and here she was, standing in front of me when I absolutely didn't want her to be. Where was she the other days when I was crying? Where was she the nights I was holding myself in the dark? But nope.

No she had to show up on the day I literally hoped she would stay away.

"What do you want, Tayuya?" I asked calmly, my eyes landing on hers without fear.

"For you to fucking explain!" She cried out, frustrated with my calm aura, "What the hell are you doing out here with a random ass guy smoking?! You of all people! YOU smoking! What the hell is this? Where the fuck are your friends, and why the hell aren't they paying attention to you wandering off doing something DUMB FUCK retarded?"

"Smoking is stupid now?" I asked with an empty laugh, "Is that what you just said?"

"Yes it's fucking stupid!" She shouted, her red hair tumbling down her shoulders as the wind began to pick up, "Didn't you freaking know?! You were the one always telling me so! So why the hell are you sitting here doing something so fucking stupid!"

"I wasn't smoking," I replied flatly, "You stopped me before I could."

Despite her flaring anger, my words brought her to a halt. And, if only for a second, I saw relief wash over her maddening eyes. Her voice dropped from its thundering tone, but the venom was still there, "You were about to try it though?"

"Yes," I answered calmly, my face blank, "I was."

"Why?" She demanded.

"Because I wanted to," I retorted simply.

I was only stirring her anger back, I could tell by how her fists shook at her side. Tight voice she thinning her words, she bit out, "But why?"

I rolled my eyes, and repeated, "Because. I. Wanted to."

"What the fuck-"

"Let me ask you a question, Tayuya," I began as carefully as possible, but my voice was starting to shake from rage as well, "What makes you think you have the fucking right to come up to me and ask me questions about my life?"

She stood there, mute, unable to get out a word.

"Better question," I started again, feeling all the emotions from the past two months starting to ignite and crackle with deadly heat, "Where the fuck were you to ask some other important questions about me? One's that I desperately needed you there for?"

She glared at me heatedly as she tried to answer, "I told you-"

"But here's another good one," I cut off, "Do you think I honestly care? Do you think I give two fucks about you and your opinion anymore?"

Her eyes suddenly churned into something more, and with glare she turned her face away from me.

I gave out a humorless smile; one that was broken and shattered; one that reflected myself, my heart, and how I felt without her wrapping her arms around me right now, somehow apologizing for everything- in some way gasping about how much she missed me and how she couldn't stand all of this bull shit anymore. It's what I wanted, because that's how I felt. That's what I desired to do, right now, but I wouldn't allow myself to. She didn't deserve it, not until she got out of whatever world she landed her self on that one lonely night back when me and Sakura went on our first date.

It was like ever since then, everything took a turn for the worse.

"Let me answer that last one for you," I continued in a hard voice, struggling to hide the trembling I felt in my throat, "I do… I do still care, and truth is I wish I didn't. But I do, and I always will, since you can't even figure that much out anymore."

Her fists squeezed tightly as she continued to stare at the ground.

"So you take your time, Tayuya. You take however long you need, what choice do we both have- what choice do I have?" I laughed and shook my head, eyes burning, but with overwhelming emotions, not tears. I felt like I was about to burst, but I kept myself together for both of our sakes, "I mean, it isn't like I would walk away from you; tell you I need some time to think and never come back. Hide from the world so well that you literally start wondering if I moved. Yeah, it isn't like you have to worry about any of that, so you take your time and I will simply wait, like I have been for the past two months."

I took a shaky breath, running my hand through my hair as my whole body shook. I was scared, scared of walking away, because I knew she wouldn't stop me, and I knew I wouldn't see her for another two months tops. But that was ok- it really was- because what I had said was true. I would be waiting, like I have been, and like I always will be.

Pressing my lips together to gain the strength, I forced myself to take the first step to leave. After the first, I forced myself to take the second, and after the second I took my third. In one stuttering motion, I managed to keep walking, and eventually I was brushing past her with my smile still at my lips.

I could do this.

I was strong.

I wouldn't turn back, she didn't deserve that much.

I just wanted to survive, that's all I hoped for at this point, that's all I wanted right now: to survive, to make it through this night and the many dark nights I could see looming ahead.

I wasn't surprised when she didn't stop me. And once I was far enough, I laughed out my tears all the way back to my friends where Sasuke was seemingly waiting to wrap me in his arms and hold me until I could finally stop crying. They didn't ask questions, just comforted me throughout the dark night. And when I finally managed to get myself together, we all slept in Naruto's old van, all of them curled around me to supply me with their warmth.

Tonight was a test to see if I could survive, if I could breathe in this world. But this world in particular always seemed like it was dipped under water, and there were no hopes I would ever be able to breathe in it again. Not without her.

Not without Tayuya.

X

I refused to tell Sakura what was wrong, and I attempted to hide the fact that I was crying all through the next day. She offered to come over, but I declined. I felt like this was step one all over again, and that the pathetic amount of happiness I had managed to gather to get through my days of hell suddenly vanished into thin are, like it was never even there in the first place.

And maybe it wasn't.

I cried into my pillow, until the point where my stomach hurt. I tried to curl into the tightest ball I could, clinging to PaulyD and hating myself for it. My eyes burned and my head throbbed; my throat felt raw and my skin itched in the most tormenting way. I was breaking, I could feel it. I was shattering and falling apart before my very eyes all over again, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. There was only one person who could save me and she wasn't here. She wasn't here and she never will be.

So I cried and cried and cried. And randomly throughout the day when I fell asleep I woke up to cry some more. I was broken- just broken, and no one could save me; I would be in this dumb hole forever. I would live under water alone, expected to breathe in the drowning ocean.

Every heart shattering sob ached my very lungs, and I wished all this pain would just go away along with my existence.

During the time period where I fell asleep out of pure exhaustion, I heard my window slide open. I kept my eyes shut tight, knowing it was just my imagination tricking myself into hearing what I wanted to hear, because Tayuya was gone- she was, that was a fact. She was gone and she wouldn't be coming back for a very long time.

But the creaks from the floor echoed in the most realistic way; And the dip in the bed felt so real that goosebumps covered my whole body. Then the warmth, the heart wrenching, stomach sickening, warmth I was just trying so hard to forget rushed throughout my whole body as I felt arms wrap around me.

Don't. Don't do this to me. Don't send her here and take her away all over again. Don't bring her into my bed only for her to disappear the next day.

Because I couldn't- I couldn't handle it. I just couldn't, and I really didn't want to.

Tayuya tugged me to roll over and lay on her chest, and as I obeyed my fingers caught her shirt. Twitching, I clung to it, gripping it with all my might as my eyes started to sting with fresh tears, and mere seconds later I was curling into her, crying into her chest just as I was crying earlier today. She held me closer with each sob, her grip tight and her body shaking along with mine.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as I choked out another sob, "I'm so sorry."

I forgave her, she knew I did, but she wouldn't stop apologizing just as I wouldn't stop crying. She muttered her apologies throughout the night, each one sounding more broken then the last. And when I finally tired myself out, merely whimpering in her wet snotted shirt, I fell asleep to those tattered words that were over used, but never losing meaning.

"I'm sorry…"

"I'm so sorry…"

* * *

(1) -** Phoria - Red (Need a Name Remix)** _watch?v=GUDqti0F6iM_ **TÂCHES - Hide From You (Ft. Jessica Sophie) **_watch?v=h83nrB0akgk_** || White Skies - Reflections (ft. Matt Selfe) **_watch?v=xb5QngecxQE_ **|| EMPRSS - Oppelia **_watch?v=zGN9Zz16_T0_

**OH MY GOD. You dont even FUCKING realized how much I just wanna SHOOT OFF my hands from ALL THAT FUCKING TYPING. Like. No. Just no.** **YOU DONT UNDERSTAND AND YOU NEVER WILL! *Stomps and throws cupcakes everywhere*****  
**

**On a happier note, those songs are used are pretty good. I especially like White Skies and Hide From You for some strange reason. But Red is what I listened to the most throughout the whole thing, so there's that.**

**Ugh. So finally they are over that bullshit with the whole 'No talking cuz we are dumb in the face and like to be complicated' situation-**

**Ok wait, let me start this A/N over cuz I can see the attitude dripping from me.**

**:D Hello fans, I hope this was enough writing for your face BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T I'M GOING TO-**

**Ok... ok I lost it there. Lemme try again.**

**:D :D So this was a great chapter, I especially love the part where I LOST TRACK OF TIME AND DAYLIGHT BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FREAKING ENTERTAIN YOU PIECES OF-**

**...Pie... you pieces of beautiful, unresistible, delicious pieces of pumpkin pie.**

**You know, I just dont even have anything nice to say right now. Just read. Review. Tell me what you think. And love me. LOVE MY FACE HARD**

**CUZ I LOVE YOUR FACE THE HARDEST.**

**Hope you guys liked it honestly. Think I'll go roll over and pass out now.**

**Shycadet loves. Out.**


	30. Batman or Superman

**A/N** – Don't worry college kids, I got yo back. I'll continue to post so you eventually just fail all your classes.

Jk, no seriously, good luck on your upcoming term tests. Rootin for ya all the way in Texas bby. You guys got this!

Before we get into the story, can I just subtly point out that it's October… And you can officially go pumpkin crazy. Like… Pumpkin pie ice cream; pumpkin spice creamer for coffees; pumpkin flavored waffles, muffins, brownies, cheesecake, cake, and cookies; In some areas you can score pumpkin spiced sodas and beer!

Needless to say, just as everyone has their seasonal treats on a special time of year, mine is the Octoberfest of pumpkin, and it's my time to shine.

_In this town, we call home! Everyone hail to the pumpkin song!_

**DISCLAIMER – I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Bare - Shot Me Down  
_

I must have been sleeping restlessly throughout the night; I hadn't remembered falling asleep being curled against the wall. As my eyes slowly slid open out of nowhere, my heart sank when I felt no warmth or arms around me. My alarm would have caused me to shoot up from the bed, but my body wouldn't allow such an act. I physically ached, my eyes felt dry and my headache seemed to have never gone away. Thankfully it was still night, so there was no sun to worsen my condition.

Crickets sang as I stared at my wall, disappointed beyond belief. I would have cried right then if I had any tears left. With a small smile tugging at my lips, I began to start hating myself. If my imagination was truly strong enough to figment a fake Tayuya holding me, then honestly I must have been going crazy.

Suddenly I heard deep sigh slip from the end of the bed, and with a chill sweeping through me I shifted my body to see Tayuya sitting against the wall. There were bags under her eyes as she stared ahead, her beanie pulled low and her hair tangled at her shoulders. For a moment I just stared, too shocked to do much else.

As I watched her, she shifted. She brought her knees close to her chest and propped her elbows on top of them, sinking her head low to hold it as if she ached physically as well. The sight twisted my heart; my stomach could hardly handle the scene. There was no mistaking that she must have beating herself up all night, and though I could see no bruises, I knew she must have been black and blue on the inside.

Gaining the strength, I slowly sat up. Whether she was in her own world or ignoring me, she stayed in her loose fetal position. Biting my lip, I carefully reached out and touched her arm. My touch practically shocked her; she lifted her head quickly and turned to look straight in my eyes. I gave her a weak smile, not exactly thinking as far as to what I would say after I got her attention. So instead, nervously, I leaned forward and managed to hook two of my fingers with hers, and wordlessly I tugged her along as I leaned back into bed.

She managed to get the message, but avoided my eyes as she followed. When we both settled, I pressed my back against her as I lay as close as possible. My stomach flipped hard, as if this was the first time she ever wrapped her arms around me; and while the initial warmth was relaxing and comfortable, eventually it grew stale and cold. It was the way she was laying there, like she was keeping herself at a safe distance. Her breath was nowhere to be found, and her grip was too loose.

She wasn't pressing against me because she wanted to, she was holding me because I asked.

A frown pulled at my lips as I ran my hand across her arm. There was no twitch, no attempt to grab my hand; she simply allowed me to do what I wanted, and I was left tracing my lonely fingertips across her skin.

Eventually she shifted, and for a heart stuttering moment I thought she would pull me closer. Instead she merely let out a breath, and with a mumble that was flat but soft, she informed, "You should be asleep, Ino. You have to wake up in a few hours."

"What about you?" I countered in a mutter just barely above a whisper, "You have to wake up to. Why were you just sitting there?"

"I'm not going to school tomorrow," she carefully answered, avoiding my question, "I don't need to sleep. Your story is different."

"Why aren't you going to school?" I asked softly.

"I have other things that need to be done," she replied simply.

"Like?" I pressed.

"Things." She responded.

I frowned and paused my tracing for a moment, but seconds later I continued and shut my eyes without another word. There was nothing to say, and I had a stirring feeling that we both knew why she was here. She hadn't been ready to come back, in all honesty if I hadn't seen her last night and spoke my guilt trip she wouldn't be here; but she came for my sake, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Maybe I should ask her to leave, to tell her to I didn't want her here. I would be lying, and my lungs would collapse if I had to speak such false words, but I had to do it.

For her sake.

I opened my mouth, but just then her hand caught mine. Fingers lacing with my own, she shifted closer and pressed against me hard. All at once I fell into her hold, and the warmth licked my skin like a winter fire. I bit my lip and shifted closer, moving my head back only so I could feel her breath as it danced across my neck.

She inhaled deeply, and in a reluctant tone, she mumbled, "I missed you…"

A miserable smile slipped my lips, "I missed you too."

She sighed and pressed her forehead against my back shoulder, pulling me closer with her hand still linked with mine. Lips brushing against my shirt, she repeated, "Go to sleep, Ino."

I stayed quiet for a moment, my stomach churning. I was nervous of what I wanted to say, because having her here felt so surreal. And to tell the heart breaking truth, I was scared she would leave all over again. But, taking a small leap of faith, I whispered, "Only if you promise to stay against me this time."

The moment my words left my lips, my heart stumbled. I squeezed my eyes tight, scared, not knowing what to expect. I wanted nothing more than to hide in my sheets, to be swallowed by the bed and taken hostage in its comforting darkness.

She was silent for a while, and as time trickled on I began to regret my words. Eventually though, a sigh danced through the air, and as she pulled me close her lips found my ear. Then, so calmly and smooth that it sounded like a solemn oath, she promised, "I will be here until the very moment you wake up."

A shiver coursed through my body as I brought her arm up to my chest and curled into it. God, I had missed her, missed this. I wonder how long I would be allowed to reminisce in these dangerous memories before I began to regret it all over again.

But what was more dangerous was my inability to care about what would happen if I found myself falling into these recollections just as I did in the past.

So mere seconds later I fell asleep, and I did it with a smile at my lips.

_One month later…_

Though we were awkward at first, everything gradually fell into place faster than expected. It was like despite the fact that two months had past, we picked right back up where we left off. This time around though, we were happy. We laughed fairly easy, watched movies, chattered away, and pretended nothing had changed.

But maybe that was because of our ability to skip around the very problem that caused everything in the first place.

I knew my aggravation towards Tayuya in the beginning was Karin, but deep down I was nervous to bring her back up. And even when she was directly involved in our conversations from time to time, for example if Tayuya was hanging out with her for the day, I would keep careful control of my emotions and comment for her to have fun.

In turn, I mentioned Sakura as little as possible; and when I did it was strictly to inform Tayuya that I was going to be doing homework with her, or helping taking care of Ethan. But unlike me, Tayuya took a total different approach to the situation. I merely hid behind my feelings and pretended Karin didn't exist, but Tayuya acted like she was an altered figment of our perfect imagination, and it made me slightly uneasy.

Instead of being annoyed when Sakura slipped into our banter, she tossed her grin as easily as ever. She began asking me questions about Sakura, inquiring who she was, how we met, was she in our same grade, and what she was like. I answered her questions as careful as possible, but the way Tayuya watched me with that smile tugged at her lips made me feel as if it didn't matter how lightly I stepped around the situation; she simply wouldn't care either way.

Maybe she was faking for my sake, giving me what she thought I wanted. But if she truly believed I wished for her to act like everything was some fairytale between us, she was utterly wrong. Why would I want a fake relationship with masked smiles and hallow laughs when I loved what we had the very moment we met, arguments and all.

I didn't know how to approach her about any of it, so I just left it alone. There was no point in going in and attempting to mend every ding and dent we managed to obtain since our two month break, of course we weren't going to be exactly the same. So I let it be, and eventually it became… Natural.

And this whole little perfect fairytale of a friendship slowly turned into what was normal, and though we were seemingly happy all the time, I could never sit easily about it. Not since the very moment Tayuya came back to my bed, and especially not now as I sat with Sakura in the science room.

I was quiet as I watched her cleaning Ethan's home, my thoughts swirling in every which direction. Chin propped up in my palm, I listened while she chattered, but couldn't pay attention. It was just a bit straining with everything still falling in line with me and Tayuya, and I kept worrying about what else could possibly happen. Even a month afterwards I wondered if she was honestly around to stay, and that was a bit sad to admit. Plus everything was practically perfect; I didn't have anything to worry about.

But I couldn't shake that something was missing between us.

Yelping in surprise, I jumped against the counter I was leaning on as I felt a poke at my side. Slamming back into the present, I saw Sakura hovering over me with her hands in her varsity batman hoodie that I had given back. I blinked, but she simply watched me.

"You haven't heard a word of what I said, have you?" She accused, her eyes on mine with a small smile tugged at her lips.

"No no, I totally have," I rushed, biting my lip to think of the last thing I managed to catch, "You were talking about, um, the science club and the next fair, right?"

"Yeah, about twenty minutes ago," she replied with a roll of her eyes, "I was asking if we were doing homework tonight."

"Oh sure, if you want," I answered meekly with a small smile, leaning back against the counter with my hands going behind me to grip the edges, "Sorry, was totally out of it for a second."

"No worries," she shrugged as she stood in front of me, and then slipped in nonchalantly, "You're cute when you're in deep thought. You start biting your lip."

I opened my mouth and looked away, stumbling in embarrassment, "Not even."

She laughed and pressed, "Promise you that you were biting your lip for about five minutes straight."

Squeezing the edges of the counter with my fingers, I rushed out with my eyes still staring at the floor, "Whatever, you shouldn't have been staring so hard."

"What are you talking about?" She snorted while watching me, and with her taunt smile slipping her lips as I glanced up at her eyes for a moment, she asked, "Where else would I be looking? You're the prettiest thing in the room."

My lips parted but no words came out, so instead I huffed a breath and looked away with a permanent smile still plastered on my face. She carefully allowed me to have my time of embarrassment, but all too soon she was taking a small step closer, forcing me to realize how close we were, "So what were you thinking about, the movie your coming to see with me on Friday night?"

Another small smile pulled at my lips as I looked up at her and taunted, "I don't remember us planning that."

"Oh," she shrugged while drawling carefully, "It isn't like you would, seeing as you were ignoring me."

"Oh gosh, no I wasn't," I laughed with a roll of my eyes, "Quit crying."

"Nu uh," she replied, smile now pulling at her lips slowly, "Totally crying. So why don't you make it up to me by saying yes."

"To the supposed Friday night movie that we already planned?" I teased, biting my lip and looking away as she took a step closer.

"Yeah, the very same one," she mumbled as I stared at her hoodie, refusing to look up at her face.

"Maybe," I replied softly, "If I'm not busy."

"Did I mention how pretty you are?" She asked, and with a blush burning my cheek I answered, "More than I can count, but that isn't going to get you a definite yes from me, Sakura."

"Why not?" She asked with a small smile as she leaned forward, forcing me to press hard against the counter, "You would think I deserve at least that much."

"I'll think about it," I answered, my breath getting short as I felt her breath tickling my skin.

"Want me to help you along with that?" She muttered carefully as her eyes steadily leveled with mine.

Before I could explode, we heard the door to the science room creak open. It wasn't closed all the way, but enough for someone to have to push it open if they wanted entry. Sakura turned around first, but she was towering over me so I couldn't see anything. It didn't matter though, because whoever had wandered in decided to speak up.

"Ino?"

My heart sunk, and with absolute dread I watched as Sakura halfway stepped to the side, only allowing me enough room to see Tayuya walking in, but still having me trapped against the counter. My face must have been blank as I simply stared at her, watching as her eyebrows came together in confusion when she saw my position. Heart pounding, I stumbled, "Tayuya, what are you doing here?"

She didn't answer right away, instead her eyes wandered away from mine and landed on Sakura's, a small frown tugging at her lips while she carefully stepped closer to us. I glanced to see Sakura giving her a slight smile before I quickly moved from against the counter to listen to her slowly explain, "I was heading to my English teacher's classroom, had to relay a message about the project she gave us, but I could have sworn I heard your voice while I was passing by, so I came to scope it out," then with her eyes flicking to mine, she asked, "What are you doing here? Didn't you want lunch?"

"Oh um," I tripped, not knowing what to say. It was hard to speak with a lump in my throat, and the way she asked made me feel like there were more than two real questions she was addressing to me. Attempting to answer the best I could, I forced out, "Well, no I wasn't hungry. So I ended up visiting my friend instead."

For some reason I stumbled at the word _friend_. I was going to use Sakura's name, but randomly my tongue started to feel like lead and couldn't get it out. It ended up sounding really awkward, and I regretted it the moment it passed my lips. Swallowing hard, I desperately tried to cover up my mistake, "I don't know if you guys have ever met, but um, well this is Sakura. Sakura, this is my friend Tayuya."

Again, for unknown reasons, I ended up awkwardly saying _friend_. I swore I could have blasted myself into a million tiny dust pieces by a giant laser if I had the opportunity right now to do so. My heart squeezed so tight it hurt, and I seriously thought that it would just collapse under the pressure and awkwardness of the room as I waited for them to say something to each other.

After what seemed like a life time, Sakura made the first move. Smooth smile still at her lips, she reached out her hand and broke the ice, "Hey, it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Tayuya replied, giving Sakura's hand a firm shake before they both pulled away. I nervously stood there, not know what else to do. But it didn't matter, because Tayuya ended up striking small talk, "Cool hoodie."

I glanced over at Sakura's hoodie with a smile, always particularly enjoying that batman varsity jacket that she owned out of all the rest of her superhero materials; but as soon as my eyes landed on it, my heart dropped all over again. It wasn't just any hoodie, it was the same one Tayuya saw me sleeping with when she came to visit me during the night.

"Awe thanks bro," Sakura replied with a grin, "All the chicks dig it."

Oh no…

"Hm? None that I know of," Tayuya retorted with a shrug, seemingly unfazed as she pushed her hands into her pocket and drawled, "Superman though, total different story."

"Superman buff huh?" Sakura noted with an amused smile, shifting to lean against the desk that was behind her as we all stood there, "Well he's an alien, and I don't know too many girls who are into that."

"I could think of one," Tayuya countered, but her eyes wandered towards me before she continued, "And he seems to be doing just fine with Louise Lane prancing around him all day."

My heart skipped a beat, and for a crazy moment I could have sworn she wasn't exactly speaking about Louise Lane at all. Stomach churning, I kept quiet with my eyes pulling away from Tayuya's nervously.

"Like you said, that's only one," Sakura commented with a small laugh.

"Compared to Batman's none?" Tayuya questioned, her eyes flicking back to Sakura's with a smile tugged at her lips.

Smoothly, Sakura showed her perfect set of teeth while she tossed out one of the many charming smiles she always showed me as she replied, "I believe there's never a shortage of a pretty lady hanging off Wayne's arm, but I think he's had his eye on one girl in particular." Sakura's eyes shifted to mine, and then as if she was speaking some inside joke, she finished, "He caught her alone in his room one night, doubt even Superman could have saved her then."

"She probably found herself lost searching for Superman's crib, seeing as he lives in a middle of a snow dessert," Tayuya responded quickly, and I noticed her shift with her back starting to straighten; no longer in her relaxed stance. With a shrug, she added as her tone dipped low, "No worries though, I guess. Not like temporary fixes actually last long, so we could ahead and mark Batman back at zero. Superman would swoop her back up with no problems; it's kinda pathetic really."

"You seem to underestimate Batman," Sakura retorted, her smile slipping downward as her arms crossed.

"Nah, just believe in Superman's skill," Tayuya answered, bringing her hand up to tug at her beanie with an easy smile at her lips, "No need to worry about the guy who can't even touch the score board, right? Who's there to underestimate?"

"Really, you put your trust in a superhero who's weakness is a rock?" Sakura asked with eyebrows raised in surprised.

"I also put my faith in the girl who found herself lost," Tayuya finished, unfazed by Sakura's logic.

"Faith can't protect you from the fact that maybe Batman has things handled on his end," Sakura pointed out, small smirk dancing at the corner of her lip as she informed, "I mean, when Superman was gone saving who knows what, Batman had a nice cave for the girl. Some place she could be safe. Absence does wonders for a superhero's chances, even one with no super power. And lets be real, it's scientifically impossible for even Superman to turn back time after making one big mistake and losing the single thing he loved most."

"So you're saying Batman wants to compete in a big boy leagues? Where he dances on top of buildings while Superman is jetting across clouds?" Tayuya bit out, her whole tone and demeanor changing. My skin prickled as I noticed the signs, but was confused when surprisingly enough Tayuya managed to keep up her smile. It wasn't strained or forced; actually it was a smooth as ever, "It's cute, because you're one of those nerds who think in some day and age, Batman can win against Superman. That's cool though, I guess it's all about perspective. Stay in one place long enough, have enough money, you start calling things yours. Put on a suit, grab a cool car, you start calling yourself a superhero. But I'm sorry to tell you, pretending and make believing hard enough doesn't win you a girl, and it never will. So I'll have to say Superman has it all on wrap, and I would love to see that pitiful fight any day."

"Wayne doesn't have to pretend, nor will he ever," Sakura started calmly, but I watched as her eyes churned with a hard look as she leaned against the desk, "But it's equally cute that you believe superpowers are everything. How long has Superman been around? And how many girls do you see fawning over him? Batman kinda steals the ladies' heart, and that's because he doesn't have his head in the clouds that Superman is flying. His eyes are down to earth, his smiles being slipped to any girl he pleases. If anything I would think Superman is at the disadvantage, because he just has too much on his mind, and that leaves him unfocused. The girl found herself lost because Superman decided to jet across the galaxy; I doubt he was even worried about her as he skipped around doing his own thing. Big shocker to see him sputtering back, eyes wandering for a chick that is already gone. Pitiful fight? Nah bro, the match is already over."

"You seem to think so, but I clearly remember Louise Lane wandering back each and every time Superman returned," Tayuya pointed out with a grin, her eyes flicking back to me, "And if I remember clearly even Batman's girl left him for another guy who ended up being completely evil. Sorry man, I can't see a situation where Superman is losing. And I doubt he will be."

"Matter of opinion, I guess we'll never know," Sakura shrugged, frown pulled at her lips in the most noticeable way.

"Naw, I think we'll be seeing a fight real soon," Tayuya informed, her stare hard as she ran her eyes back to Sakura, "Good argument though, it was healthy. I hope we see each other again sooner than later."

"I'm sure you will," Sakura replied, dropping her crossed arms to her sides as her fingers gripped the edge of the desk, "Not like I'm going anywhere."

"Me either," Tayuya responded as her jaw set, then turning to me, she gave an easy smile, "I guess I'll see you around princess, I have to jet. Maybe I'll see you tonight though, watch another movie in your bed?"

My heart was still pounding as I opened my mouth, stomach twisting at her choice of words. Letting out a breath, I simply nodded, and with a happy little smile she was swirling around and walking out of the room.

"See you around," She called as she lifted up a hand in farewell while she left.

"Bye," I called after her, finally finding my voice.

Soon after she disappeared between the doors, I found myself plopping down in the nearby seat. Completely weak with disbelief.

"So that's your best friend?" Sakura asked as I sat there, still staring at the door, attempting to figure out what just happened.

"That obvious?" I mumbled, struggling to shake of my shocked state.

"Kind of," she replied, walking towards me with a sigh, but when I looked up at her there was a smile at her lips, "I could tell by the way she instantly hated me."

"I don't think she hates you," I lied unable to convince even myself. I was still confused though, I hadn't know what happened. I could have sworn Tayuya's smiles were real when she asked about Sakura, I thought she didn't care, so where did all the hostility come from?

"It's cool, she doesn't sit well with me either," Sakura replied, and when I glanced at her she only shrugged, "I don't think I can like her after all of the stuff she's done."

I bit my lip, carefully controlling my emotions. I never explained to Sakura about anything that happened between me and Tayuya's fight, but I guess she figured out most of it by herself, "She hasn't done much. Sometimes we just fight. That's what best friends do."

"Sure," she replied, unconvinced, "Maybe. So about that movie?"

I opened my mouth, but the bell rang. Huffing, I stood up and gave her a weak smile, "I'll tell you if I can make it, alright?"

Shaking her head, Sakura sighed and waved me off, "Alright Ino, but I'm holding you to it."

I wanted to apologize, but didn't know what for. So instead I gave her another smile, hoping she would understand. Soon after I left as well, my head spinning with more thoughts I could keep up with. But one thought in particular kept in the forefront of my mind.

Sakura and Tayuya met for the first time, and I had no doubts that this wouldn't be the last. Just that thought alone made me nervous beyond belief.

* * *

(1) - watch?v=DI7dUk3zi0k pssst Morbidwolf. If you see this. I WISH TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

**Ohhhhh shit. Like. OOOOH SHITTTTTT. The fuck just happen here?! A fight with words, my fans, a fight with words. And it was so delicately done, did you SEE all the low blows within those sentences. Honestly, if you didn't, go read the whole scene again, and this time try to catch EVERY double meaning hit that they tossed at each other. Like. LMFAO, I'm still flipping out over half the shit they said.**

**"Awe thanks bro, all the chicks dig it." WUT WUT?! SAKURA COMING AT TAYUYA THE WRONG WAY ALREADY?!**

**"Nah, just believe in Superman's skill, no need to worry about the guy who can't even touch the scoreboard, right?" TAYUYA, BITCH SAY WUT?!**

**"And lets be real, it's scientifically impossible for even Superman to turn back time after making one big mistake and losing the single thing he loved most." SAKURA WUT?! WHY ARE YOU PUTTING TAYUYA'S FACE ON THE FLOOR LIKE THAT HOMIE?! CHILL BRO.**

**"I'm sorry to tell you, pretending and make believing hard enough doesn't win you a girl." TAYUYA, CALM DOWN BRUH, IT'S OK. YOU DONT HAVE TO DO THIS TO HER MAN.**

**Like. Lmfaooooo what is even happening. Oh god. this has to be my favorite chapter of the whole story cuz it was just fucking hilarious. They were like bulls fighting off and showing their horns. Oooh man, that was a good laugh. Good laugh indeed.**

**Thanks to the swaggiest of us all that inspired this chapter. It's kicking off Dmoney, do you see it happening?! This was all you bruh. **

**And to my main bro that gave me LOADS of ideas on how to work this chapter after complaining that we needed to spice it up.**

**Mope season is over kids, it's time to get into the firing heat as winter approaches us all.**

**Read. Review. Even comment to me what your favorite line was so i can fucking laugh all day. **

**Shycadet is deliciously evil. Loves. Out.**


	31. Challenge

**A/N - **Yo. Sup kids? Hope you guys had a good week, and I hope you guys are coolin it this weekend. No stressing allowed folks, so lemme give you a smooth stress reliever on this lazy Saturday.

Don't get too wild tonight, I'll totally attempt to keep my crazy night of anime on toonami, games, beer, and music to an all time safe zone low. LOL

Doesn't that sound 'wild'. What can I say. I like to live on the edge ;)

Enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for this chapter - Desmeon - My Sunshine_

I'm not sure what was happening between Tayuya and Sakura, and I don't think I wanted to know. It was better if I wasn't involved at all actually, because almost every time they managed to meet each other I practically became the furniture in the room anyway. It was smarter to just stand back and keep quiet, more like breathe as little as possible and hope they civilly did away with each other as they usually did. Surprisingly enough they managed to leave each other's presence with smiles most of the time, even if they were strained and hard as stones. I would be more nervous if they handled each other any differently I guess, the way they acted comforted me; It expressed something simple:

They knew they would have to just deal with each other even if they didn't want to, because they were both my friends and that wasn't changing any time soon.

I couldn't tell you who was handling it better though, they both had their ways of covering it up so well. Tayuya skipped around the matter with a simple carefree joke while Sakura merely gave me a smile and offered a change of subject. I allowed them to do what they want, in the end it didn't matter to me. I kept my lips sealed, thoughts closed, and went with the flow. As long as they weren't throwing punches, what was there to worry about?

My days passed with normality and it was comforting that not much changed even after the curve balls life had been throwing at me. Every afternoon I spent my time doing homework with Sakura, while every night Tayuya came over to hang out. I guess it was more luck that they fit into that schedule and neither of them had quarrels about it. Tayuya was normally busy early afternoons, and me and Sakura never really hung out much when the sun went down. It just so happened that everyone got what they wanted, and that had to be the only thing that was going right in my life.

Unlike school, which was still hell. I had to carry three books home today because three different teachers decided to assign homework that were all pretty much either two pages of writing absolute nonsense, a time consuming read that required questions to be answered, or both.

"Getting _real _tired of your shit, educational system," I grumbled to myself as I stuffed my notebooks in my locker while exchanging them for my History and English book, "Real. Tired."

"Me too," Tayuya chimed in as she walked up with an easy smile, "Like who the fuck cares about Business Appreciation? Fuck that."

I greeted her with a smile as well while I stuffed my math book in my book bag, and soon after I was slinging it over my shoulder and trekking down the hall to leave school.

"How was your day?" Tayuya asked conversationally as we made our usual trip.

"Good," I replied with a tired sigh, relief washing over me as I continued, "Just a regular long day of school, but at least it's over. I have tons of homework tonight though, which sucks."

"Bummer," she drawled as she began to dig into her special skater's book bag that had this cool buckle on it which let her hang her skateboard off the back. Lucy was her longboard, but today she was caring around Pretty Penny, which was this cute little red penny board that she towed around from time to time, "You should start doing it at school so you don't have to do any to do at home."

"Oh like you? Doing it the day it's due in some class that doesn't even pertain the subject." I asked with a roll of my eyes.

"_Exactly,_" she answered, pausing to give me a grin before going back to look in her bag.

"You're ridiculous," I responded as I opened the door for us both, squinting when sun hit my face.

"You love it," she retorted, finally pulling out what she was looking for. I should have known it was her beanie that they usually didn't allow her to wear around in school.

As she was tugging it on, my phone buzzed with an incoming message. I paused our walking to read it, and with a blink I saw that Sakura would be picking me up right from school to go straight to her house for homework. It was unusual because I usually hopped on the bus and waited around for an hour until the Science Academy meetings were over, but I guess they must have been cancelled.

Swirling around, I changed our course of direction.

"Where are we going?" Tayuya asked as she caught back up with me, curiously glancing back at the busses, "Are you not going home right now?"

"Sakura told me to meet her by the parking lot," I answered, slipping my eyes to her to catch her reaction, "It looks like we are going straight to her- What the hell is that on your head?"

She blinked, but then grinned as she tugged at her beanie, which was had different shades of deep blue with the Superman symbol on it, "What? Just my beanie."

"You don't even like Superman," I accused.

"What are you talking about, of course I do," she answered with a laugh.

"Oh bull shit, you aren't hard enough of a fan to go around wearing things like that," I retorted as we turned the corner at the far right side of the school. We began walking on the grass when the sidewalk ended, strolling right next to the football field.

"Ok not at first," she admitted, but then added, "Still it kinda grew on me. Superman is pretty epic."

"When did you get it?" I asked, figuring she probably rushed to grab it right after Sakura and her had that nerdfest argument.

"A couple of weeks ago when me and Karin were at the mall, but I just brought it out," she answered with a happy smile and a little pep in her step, "It matches my outfit today."

Granted it did, but that didn't change the fact that I was right; and it didn't give me warm feelings that she slipped out that she got it with Karin. Sighing, I picked up my pace, pulling away from her slightly and snapping, "You don't even have a reason to wear that beanie. You're just being stupid."

"Stupid?" She repeated, and I could hear the frown on her voice as she kept behind me, "I just told you it grew on me, how is that stupid? You have to admit, Superman has style."

"And what's even more hilarious is that you expect me to believe that you magically became a fan," I laughed out with roll of my eyes, "What the fuck ever, Tayuya."

"What the hell. Why can't I be a fan? You're little friend goes around wearing superhero shit all the time," she pointed out, as I continued to practically stomp through the grass, "Why can't I show who I represent?"

"Because you're being childish," I informed, growing even more annoyed that we actually had to sit here and have this conversation, like she didn't know everything that she was doing wrong, "You're only going around wearing that stupid thing because of Sakura."

"The fuck? You think I'm wearing it because of that damn loser?"

I set my jaw and whirled around, "Really? You're pretty brave today, Tayuya. You're going to talk about her in front of my face?"

"Alright, I'm sorry, that was rude," she admitted calmly, her hands going up in surrender before continuing carefully, "But you're being rude too. Why do you have to think I'm doing shit because of Sakura, especially when I give no fucks about her at all? It's pissing me off just as much as I'm pissing you off, even though I don't know what I did wrong."

"Whatever, forget it," I replied, turning around with a roll of my eyes.

"Listen, I'm sorry for however I managed to fuck in two minutes," she said as she followed behind me, "It wasn't my intention to start an argument. I won't wear the damn thing anymore if you don't want me to."

"Do what the fuck you want, Tayuya," I snapped as we approached the other side of the school, "I don't care anymore. Pretend and act like I'm stupid, that's cool too."

"I don't think you're stupid," she rushed, "I never said that."

"If you honestly believe I'm dumb enough for you to _have_ to spell it out in my face that proves to me how stupid you honestly think I am" I snorted out.

Seconds later I felt her fingers wrapping around my wrist, and with a tug I was being whirled around and pushed against the brick wall that was next to us. I blinked, startled, but then looked up at Tayuya with a glare. My glare fell flat though when I saw her small frown and steady eyes looking down at me, and for some reason that surprised me. I figured she would look angrier, maybe even thought she was going to prolong this argument. Instead she simply looked… sincere, if not a little confused.

"Stop for a second, ok?" She started softly, as if speaking too loud would set me back off. She waited a bit for a reaction, and when I simply stood there in silence she slowly pulled away from my wrist that she had pressed against the wall above my head. Taking a breath, she mumbled, "I'm sorry, this was all my bad. You have a right to be upset, I'm sure I really did fuck up somewhere, but I just can't see it, and I'm sorry for that too. Honestly, I wasn't trying to get you upset, Ino; I hate when you're mad, especially at me."

I watched her as she apologized, noticed the way she shifted and rubbed the back of her neck, and realized what exactly just happened. Frowning, I sighed and leaned against the wall behind me, and with that last breath I came to my senses. Biting my lip, I began gently, "It wasn't your fault, sorry, just irritated… with the long day."

Sure it was half a lie, but it was better than sitting here and telling her the truth. What was the point of trying to explain that Karin is what really set me off when I hated to even admit it to myself? Plus she looked so sincere, she honestly believed she did something wrong, and she hadn't. There was nothing wrong with her hanging out with Karin, why would there be? Here she was walking with me, knowing she would have to hand me over to Sakura for a couple of hours, which I'm sure that dug into her side more than anything on this earth, but she was doing it with a smile.

Honestly, I might have been calling her immature, but I was the one acting like a child.

A smooth smile slipped her lips, easily dancing across her face until she showed a happy set of teeth, "No problem princess, everyone has bad days. I just want you to be ok, is all."

"Yeah I'm fine," I mumbled, looking away because seeing her smile like that forced my stomach to flip with old memories tangling inside of my head, "Just stressed."

"And about the Superman beanie, I'll toss it as soon as I drop you off-" she began earnestly, her eyes still watching me carefully, "I probably look really dumb with it on anyway. Karin must have lied in my face when I asked her opinion on it."

I set my jaw, teeth pressed together tight as my fingertips dragged against the brick wall roughly before forming hard fists. There was nothing that I wanted more than to tell her yes, that she should toss it in some raging fire, all because I hated the fact that she had gotten it with Karin instead of me; but I didn't allow myself such satisfaction. Instead, I murmured, "No, keep it. Karin was right."

She didn't say anything for a moment, just stood there in silence. She was towering and was close enough to provide me her shadow as protection from the sun. After a couple more seconds, I gained enough courage to slip my eyes back up to hers, but to my surprise they weren't there to catch my gaze; instead, she was focused on something below us both. When I followed her eyes, I noticed she was staring at my shaking fists. One split heart beat later, I was carefully undoing my tight folded fingers and hiding them behind my back.

"Listen, I should go," I began in a bit of a stumble.

"Sure alright," she agreed but didn't step away.

"Um…" I started, unsure on what to do, "Excuse me…?"

A smile tugged at her lips as she took a step closer, effectively forcing me to press hard against the wall, "Before you go, though, tell me. Do you think I look good in this beanie?"

"I just agreed-" I began.

"No fuck Karin's opinion, I'm asking for yours," she cut me off, her light brown eyes holding mine as she watched me steadily.

God, I couldn't help the small smile that pulled my lips at her words, or push down the satisfaction to hear her say something like that as I looked away. It was minor, overall immature, but I felt a small sense of victory over a game that was pretty much imaginary. It was the first time I heard her bad mouth Karin indirectly since she came prancing in our lives, and it was practically music to my ears.

"Not like you need my approval," I teased, smile still tugging as I bit my lip.

"Wrong," she replied, hands digging into her pockets as she rocked on her heels, overall comfortable with the little distance between us, "I kinda do."

"Why?" I prolonged, knowing I was only playing into her game, but unable to help myself as my eyes slipped back up to hers. I felt her coming back to life; the teasing girl that taunted her way into my room; the smooth girl that pressed against me underneath my sheets without second thoughts; and the breathtaking girl that used to press her lips alongside my neck, if only to bribe me into whatever bidding she wanted.

"I picked this out for you, to be honest," she admitted casually while taking another step forward, carefully slipping her left leg to the side of me, barely touching my upper thigh while her other foot stepped between the spaces of mine. Her hand went back to rubbing her neck as if she was sheepish, but her tiny smile was giving it all away, "So?"

Amused by her act, I tilted my head as I rested it against the wall to watch the way her eyes stayed on mine, and I couldn't help but notice how she was hanging over my every word, "Mm, well, I have to admit you look good with it on."

A broader smile came sweeping her face, and in seconds I was granted with a childish grin as she replied, "Oh? Enough to convince you to be my Louise Lane?"

I laughed, a smile dancing at the corner of my lips as I rolled my eyes and answered, "No, not quite."

"Ouch," she joked, grin still on her face as she placed her palm against the wall right next to me, allowing her to lean closer, "Well what do I have to do, princess? I'm awfully desperate here."

Biting my lip, I taunted softly, "Nothing you can do, you're out of your league."

"Oh, so you're telling me I need to step up my game?" She questioned in amusement, eyebrows rising in surprise, "I'm not sure you could handle full fledge game mode princess, but if you're giving me permission…"

Yeah, see, this is the Tayuya I remember. Mocking with a small smile, provoking, almost challenging me to stop her from doing what she wanted. Recently she's been holding this back, pretending everything was perfectly fine, acting like the fairytale best friend she convinced herself I needed. Fairytale Tayuya didn't make my stomach flip though, and make believe perfection didn't get my heart to race. I forgot how much I missed this until now. How long would I be able to indulge in this guilty pleasure before she took it away from me all over again?

"Let's say I did give you permission, what would be your first move?" I was full out flirting now, and this was new to me. I never really tugged her along, taunted her to continue; I always sat back and squirmed, rode my rollercoaster of feelings, but I couldn't help it. The way she watched me with that playful smile, her breath dangerously close and tickling my skin as she stood there, it tricked me into playing the very game she was sitting up for me.

I watched as her eyes flickered down to lips at the question, and with a small laugh, she answered, "Well, I've been pondering about a certain thing or two. Guess you'll just have to find out first hand if you're curious enough."

My heart twisted painfully as my stomach flipped. Unable to help myself, I licked my lips before biting them. Tayuya only smiled, waiting patiently for me to give her the word. Just before anything else could be said, my phone rang. I practically jumped out of my skin, and with a huge blush spreading my cheeks I slammed back into my right mind. I went down to reach for it, but my fumbling hand was stopped by Tayuya's fingers. When I looked up at her in question, I noticed that she was way closer than she should be as she mumbled, "Come on princess, don't answer it. They can wait."

"Tayuya," I breathed, pressing hard against the wall as if I could magically gain some distance to place between us. Heart pounding, I stumbled, "It's probably Sakura, she's probably wondering-."

"All the more reason," she pushed, now practically pressing against me as I leaned against the wall. My heart was literally going to pop right from my chest and her proximity was making me lightheaded. Shutting my eyes tight, I tried to think straight as I slid the lock on my phone to answer to call and brought it to my ears.

"Ino?" Sakura's voice came in seconds later, "Hey, where are you at?"

"Sakura," I squeaked out, "Hey, s-sorry, I got occupied."

"Tell her with what," Tayuya whispered out a taunt, leaning into my other ear and mumbling softly, "Tell her who has you so busy."

"Well that's alright. Are you going to be much longer?" Sakura asked cheerfully, not sounding like she minded the wait at all.

"Yeah, no, I'll be right there. Really," I rushed out with a hard swallow.

"Don't hang up yet," Tayuya continued to tease, "Tell her I said what's up. Ask her how's she doing."

I squeezed my eyes tight, struggling to concentrate on Sakura's words, "Well don't worry about rushing. I'll be in the front. If you don't see me, just call me or something, alright?"

"Sure ok, that sounds great," I hurried out, "See you soon, bye."

Quickly I hung up the phone, and just then Tayuya pulled back to look at my face. I gave her a glare, but she only asked, "Did you tell her I said hi?"

Huffing, I pushed her chest, forcing her to trip backwards. She laughed as she caught herself, following me as I began walking towards the parking lot. We didn't talk for the rest of the way, but that didn't dampen her bright mood. She was far too pleased with herself, for reasons I could only imagine. When we finally managed to get around to the parking lot, Sakura was there leaning against her car waiting patiently. I gave her an apologetic smile when she caught sight of us, but was unable to speak my excuse. Tayuya had unbuckled Penny while we were walking, and as I was strolling up to Sakura slowly, she was already rolling past me and riding straight to her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, I managed to make her late," Tayuya explained with a smile, her shoes scrapping against the concrete as she came to a stop.

"No big deal," Sakura replied with a shrug, not bothering to push off the car yet. Instead she continued to lean there as she said, "I figured she might have been off doing something better, I was prepared to wait, but I guess she was just hanging with you."

Her comment made me nervous, mostly because it was a bit rude. I walked up to them seconds later, standing next to Tayuya but being sure to keep some distance between us.

"Oh yeah, she wasn't doing much of anything important at all, just _fooling around_ with little ol' me," Tayuya responded, not fazed by Sakura's comment, but that was probably because the memory of five minutes ago was still fresh in both of our heads.

"Yeah well, no worries," Sakura pressed, but her eyes were hard as she watched Tayuya carefully. Seconds later though she slipped her gaze to me, and with a smooth smile, she asked, "Right, are you ready to go?"

"Um I guess," I answered with a nod, glancing at Tayuya awkwardly for a moment. She caught my eyes with a smooth smile of her own, and she didn't look upset to the slightest. Instead she shrugged, as if telling me to do whatever I wanted.

"Cool," Sakura replied, standing up straight while pulling her hands out of her pockets before opening my door, "Let's go then. I've got tons of homework to do."

"Me too," I admitted, moving to slip into the car, but before I could past my second step I felt Tayuya's arm wrap around my waist and tug me slightly to the side. I couldn't react much, but it hadn't mattered because one heartbeat later she pecked me on the cheek with a small kiss.

My face instantly burned red as I looked over at her in disbelief. She only grinned though, practically beaming as she said, "See you later Ino. Have fun with homework."

Words wouldn't come out, it was impossible because they were stuck in my throat. Instead I just nodded, cheeks burning as I watched her hop on Pretty Penny before smoothly kicking and riding away from us. Soon she was down the side walk and gliding on the parking lot road, and eventually she was gone.

I turned back to Sakura, moments later. She stood there, jaw set with her fist gripping the car door hard. Biting my lip I quickly looked away, rushing to get inside in hopes of hiding from her gaze. Needless to say the car ride was just a bit quiet.

I could only imagine how much that scene Tayuya created got under her skin.

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(1)- Some nasty battle music for Tayuya. Kinda in love with this song tbh. If youre into Dubstep. Check it out) watch?v=ysh4eCbkkIo

**Short, yeah, considering how long this took to get out. Sorry folks I'll make up for it later.**

**Oh buddy, look at Tayuya getting bold. All smiles and laughs, confident as fuck. Has to be her battle music, making her feel like she's the real Superman today. Stealing kisses in front of Batman? Oh I do believe the gauntlet has been thrown my friends. But come on, lets be real, is Sakura even thug enough to come back with anything after that?**

**LOL this me starting shit. Lmfao, it's pretty fun. I'm that girl in the back yelling "bet you won't hit her tho!"**

**Oh but there is no way to deny the fact that Tayuya's here. Lingering about with her A game that she is able to spit at any given moment and time. I feel like Team Sakura should feel just a bit threatened. But this is just kids fighting right now. Imagine when shit gets real.**

**Right, read, review, sustain me. You know the deal. **

**Shycadet is an instigator. Loves her fans the most. Out.**


	32. Accepted

**A/N - **Wooo, so to make up for the short last chapter, I went ahead and posted this a bit early. Hopefully next chapter will be long, because this is about the same length of the last one.

Sowwie.

Hope ya enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER - I do not own Naruto**

* * *

_Song used for chapter - Teqq (feat. Trifonic) - Lies && Lies - Trifonic (one is a remix and one is the original. love em both)_

So there we were, doing homework on Sakura's bedroom floor. It was awkward, quiet, uncomfortable, and I literally wished to jump off of a roof; Half because I knew that Sakura was still thinking about what had just happened at school; and the other half of it was because I couldn't get the damn kiss out of my head, so every two seconds I found myself furiously blushing while scribbling away at my math homework.

God it was ridiculous, this was ridiculous, _Tayuya _was ridiculous. I mean I didn't mind the kiss; she did it in such a typical Tayuya fashion with her idiotic grin and happy demeanor, and there was no way I couldn't smile as I sat there and thought about her expression when she watched my reaction. No what I minded was that she did it in front of Sakura, who I knew was incredibly patient and understanding, but also understood that she was human with emotions I could only imagine that was coursing through her after the latest event.

So, while Tayuya was scot free, boarding around the streets with absolutely no stress to the rest of her day, I was sitting here with Sakura on her bedroom floor.

Where it was awkward, quiet, and uncomfortable.

Did I mention I wanted to jump off a roof?

"How long have you and Tayuya been friends?" Sakura asked quietly out of nowhere, disturbing the very peaceful awkward silence that had caked us both over the past hour.

"Um, well she's always been across the street," I answered as I bit my lip while staring at a math problem. Doing some quick calculations in my head, I wrote down some numbers before continuing, "But I guess you can say we've been really close since, maybe, like second half of junior year? I think… can't remember." I frowned slightly as I tapped my pencil against my notebook, "I wonder if she knows…"

"Were you guys instantly close?" She carefully interrupted my wandering thoughts, "Or…?"

"Actually no," I admitted with a smile slipping across my lips as I went back to jotting down numbers, "Believe it or not, we had a really hard time becoming friends. I don't know why, I guess it was because we are so different and we were always so… busy."

"Then how did it happen?" She inquired curiously, "How did you guys become friends?"

I snorted and said, "By dumb luck. You wouldn't believe how many times we made plans and never went through. We actually sat there saying we would talk to each other soon and never did. I guess one day we just got fed up with it all, and it just kinda… happened." I pulled back to look over my answers. With a pout, I realized I made a mistake and erased the last two lines.

"It's just weird…" Sakura muttered as I rewrote my solutions.

"What is?" I inquired with mild interest, glancing over at my math back to see the next question.

"I figured out of all of that there would be something to help me understand why you hang out with her," she answered quietly.

"What do you mean, she's my best friend," I replied as I scribbled down the next equation.

"Yeah, I don't get that either," she added in a small voice.

Her sudden change of attitude was catching my attention. Eyebrows pulling together, I glanced up at her with a small frown, "What's so hard to follow?"

"I guess it's the part where I watched you literally drown for two months," she replied, her eyes flicking up to mine with a frown of her own pulling at her lips, "For a 'best friend' who seemed to give two fucks about how you were doing the whole time."

I blinked, and I actually jerked back at her words in surprise. Eyebrows pushing together even more, I became defensive, "Well I can understand how you find that all a bit confusing, especially since you don't even know the full story and you're pretty much just shooting in the dark."

"Then why don't you tell it to me?" She responded as she placed her pencil on her open book, "I've got all night."

I frowned hard and countered, "Because believe it or not, it isn't any of your business and I don't have to sit here and tell you a life story that isn't even yours."

"Not mine?" She repeated calmly with a raise of her eyebrows, "Not to be rude, but Ino it's my story as much as it is yours. I don't know if you've forgotten, but I was there the whole time. I didn't ask a single question, didn't bother with forcing you to explain anything even though I was worried out of my mind. The whole entire time while Tayuya was skipping off doing her own thing, I was sitting there attempting to pick up the pieces she carelessly scattered everywhere."

I set my jaw and replied, "And I get that, I know you were there. You helped a lot; I thanked you each and every time, and I apologized each and every time because I knew it wasn't your job to sit here and fix me, but you did."

"I did," she agreed with a nod, frown still sitting on her face as she crossed her arms and leaned back against the side of her bed, "So give me something to work with."

"No," I answered with my face twisting in disbelief.

"Why?" She asked without much thought.

"Because," I began, but unable to explain what was really upsetting about this whole conversation, but feeling the agitation starting to bubble within me.

"Because what?" She pressed, waiting for my response but not giving me a moment to think.

"Because while you might sit here and believe you are entitled to an explanation, it's my right to sit and choose if I should tell you or not," I spat back furiously, growing even more irritated that she was here, in my face, with an expression like she honestly believed she would get the full story no matter what.

"You don't think I have a right to know?" She questioned with frown, "After all that I've done?

"I think have a right to a story, but the one I have in mind doesn't consist of you getting what you want," I snapped back, my hard glare practically burning a hole in her skin, "It actually pertains a few bad words along with lengthy shout of how I'm feeling right about now."

"And how are you feeling? Like this is unfair and I shouldn't be asking you questions," Sakura countered with a hard look of her own, "That I should just be kept in the dark and stay in my place- where ever the hell that is."

"I'm feeling like somewhere along the lines, you must have missed something," I replied, watching her in absolute disbelief, "I'm feeling like at some point in time, while you were sitting here _pretending_ to be my friend, you were actually planning to bring up each and every time you saved me for the sake of getting something out of it in return."

"Why is it so wrong for me to ask some questions?" She demanded, and it just made me sick to my stomach that she was honestly tunnel vision enough to press the issue without even attempting to figure out what I _just _said. I took my notebook and shoved it inside of my math book before slamming it shut, suddenly feeling the need to remove myself from her presence before I lost my mind, "Why can't I dig around a little bit?"

"You can, I never said you couldn't," I bit out, standing up to place my book inside of my book bag, which was across the room.

"Then why are you acting like it's such a crime?" She countered, watching me shuffle around her room as she continued to sit against the bed, "Tayuya is over here hopping around with some stupid fucking smile on her idiotic face like she knows some secret that I don't, and I'm supposed to just sit here and take that?"

"Funny, because I clearly remember you saying something completely rude to her," I reminded as I whirled towards her, my anger flaring to its peak, "And guess what, _she just sat there and took it_. Also, while I might agree she does have a pretty idiotic grin, I don't like the fact that you think it's ok to clearly bad mouth her in front of me."

"I have no doubts that she does the same when I'm not around," she responded with a knowing tone, "So I won't apologize for it."

I gave a short laugh and shook my head, "Well let me be the first to inform you of something that will blow you away as much as it blew me away today. The moment she said something about you, I instantly put her in line about it- and guess what Sakura, she immediately agreed that it was rude and _apologized_ for it."

Her jaw set as she looked away. I rolled my eyes and continued to pack, "You know what, this was refreshing, thanks a lot."

"For what," she asked quietly.

"For showing me who exactly you are," I responded while grabbing my shoes.

"I'm just trying to figure out how this girl managed to think that it was ok to stomp all over you, then come back like nothing's happened," Sakura replied with a deep frown on her face as she turned back to look up at me, "She runs around here thinking that all is pardoned and everything is ok."

"How else is she supposed to act!?" I practically shouted as I glared down at her, "All _is _pardoned. Everything _is _ok. That's what fucking happens when two people get into a fight and they managed to get over it and _forgive each other_!"

"Then my questions lie with you," Sakura snapped while looking me in my eyes, "How do you think any of what she did was ok? And how could you possibly just forgive her for something like that without recompense of any sort! One day she isn't around, the next day she is and you guys are just laughing away like nothing happened. How the fuck is that even possible? Did you somehow forget what occurred during those two months? Cuz I sure as hell haven't, and I don't think she should be standing around acting like she has. She should look a hell of a lot more hurt for the shit she's done, and you shouldn't let her go around forgetting any of it."

That was it, I was absolutely done with this.

"Let me tell you something Sakura, and let me tell it to you simply," I started in a low shaking voice, my eyes beginning to sting as my heart began to hammer, "You don't know shit- not about me, not about Tayuya, and not about me _and _Tayuya, but more importantly, you don't know _anything _that does not include me and you."

I paused, waiting for what I had just said to sink into Sakura's skull. She stood there, jaw set while watching me quietly. After a couple of seconds, I continued, "Now that we have the basics out of the way, let me give you a fucking clue. The reasons why I forgave Tayuya is none of your god damn business. You deserve some explanations, I get that, really I'm not a fucking idiot. I'm not blind either, I saw the things you did for me Sakura and I really did appreciate it. I thanked you, I said sorry, I hated myself every fucking day for keeping you around- I did, honest. And you know why? Because I hate when I have to lean on people for support, but what I hate most is leaning on _friend_ for support and them coming back and expecting me to drop to my knees as recompense."

I took a breath to steady myself, but my fists were quaking at my sides, "I owe you so much Sakura, I know I do. There isn't anything in this world that I could give you to repay for everything you've done for me, but that gives you no fucking right to sit here and demand answers as if you honestly believe you should be in my very mind, understanding everything I fucking do and decide upon. It's the way you are asking for answers that is pissing me the hell off, not the fact that you are asking questions. And I honestly hope you understand that, but it doesn't matter because I've already come off as some sort of bitch."

I ran my hand through my hair as I looked away, shaking my head as I gathered myself. That rant took a bit out of me, but I knew I couldn't stop there, I had to finish. Sighing, I continued, "The reason why I forgave Tayuya is because I knew, deep down in my heart, that she would have forgiven with no questions asked. The reason why Tayuya and I fell back into our friendship so easily is because it's what both of us wanted, and so we made it happened. The reason why we are such best friends is because, in the end, we understand each other. And you know what I understand the most?" I mumbled in question while glancing back up at Sakura, who was still standing there like some statue. Sad pathetic smile slipping my lips, I finished, "I understand Tayuya didn't get out of this scot free, and Tayuya doesn't walk around here like she hasn't done anything wrong. The night she came back to my room, she held me until I cried to sleep, and then when I passed out she went to holding _herself_ at the end of my bed, quietly attempting to keep it together for my sake_._ Ever since, she does well to make sure I don't catch her beating herself up, _for my sake, _but I'm not stupid enough to believe that the frowns I catch on her lips from time to time aren't because of the memories that make some ghost appearance, forcing her to fucking remember how badly everything had went down between us."

With a sigh, all the rude things that I had just said came washing over me. My heart twisted painfully, because I hated almost every word that passed my lips. Rubbing my eyes, I finished with a miserable mumble, "I don't expect you to understand, Sakura, you aren't her friend, you don't know her as well as I do. I'm just saying… you don't have to remind me what those two months were like, I remember them, I endured them for her because I knew she needed me to. And I know you are upset with her, I know you hate her for reasons she has easily given you, I get that, but that doesn't give you the fucking right to talk about her, you don't know shit about her. And just because you were there picking up the pieces during those two months doesn't give you a fucking deed to my thoughts, how I feel, and answers to every little thing that I do. But this was great, really I enjoyed it, because I got to see how you can flip a switch so easily, and that caught me off guard, you hid that well. I didn't think you were one of those people who pulled out past favors and started demanding something for them. Honestly, that kind of hurts, and if I would have known I would have never became friends with you in the first place, because its people like you that I absolutely hate."

Sighing again, I turned to grab my things, "I'll talk to you later I guess, I'm going to go ahead and finish my homework at home."

I moved to pick up my book bag from the floor to walkhome, even if I did live a good 40 minutes away by foot, but wasn't able to grab the straps. My wrist was caught midair and was softly held for a moment. I turned to Sakura's broken expression. Shifting, she struggled out, "Wait…"

So I did.

"I…" she began, but stopped suddenly with nothing more to say. I stood there patiently as she held my wrist, waiting to hear what she had to say, "I'm sorry. I'm honestly not one of those types of people, and I hope I haven't convinced you otherwise." She shifted her eyes away uncomfortably, working hard to get out the right words, "I was just… upset, which is weird because I'm normally able to keep my calm, but seeing her kiss you really pissed me off and I couldn't-" A breath escaped her lips as she stopped herself midsentence. Setting her jaw, she looked back up at me and mumbled, "I honestly wanted to punch her in the face, and I literally can't fight to save my life."

A small smile slipped my lips as I replied softly, "It's ok, she makes me want to punch her in her face every day."

"It's just that, Ino, my feelings didn't magically disappear when Tayuya left." Her words were flowing now, coming out with no problems, and her eyes were now directly on mine as she continued, "I mean, I kind of just backed off because I knew you were going through some things, and instead of attempting to have you for myself, I tried to help you in any way possible because seeing you in pain physically hurt me; I guess that's why I resent her, honestly I won't pretend and fake being friends with her. Fuck that. But ever since those two months I've just been… waiting around, holding off to the right moment to remind you again that I really really really do like you."

I looked away, blush creeping my cheeks as my heart started to thud. She pulled at my wrist, tugging me forward and taking a step closer, practically having me lean against her chest., "I don't know what that kiss was about, and to be honest I'm not going to sit here and ponder about it. I have patience Ino, it's something I'm naturally gifted at, but when it comes to you my patience is thrown off the tallest building and I'm left doing things I would have never done before; like demanding things from you as if I'm entitled to everything within eyesight, and I'm really sorry for that," her voice was low and dancing above me, because I had refused to look up at her. But all too soon I was pulled away from my comforting hiding spot with my chin being guided upwards. Her green eyes were literally enflamed and churning as she mumbled, "But I will not say sorry for getting a little jealous for someone I just don't toy with. I'm cautious, I linger, I wait patiently in silence and I observe, I'm practically Batman in the flesh, the only thing is that Batman played it fair when he saw the girl of his dreams dancing around with some other guy, and I'm ready to admit that I won't be so courteous."

My heart was pounding from my chest as she leaned closer, eyes deep within mine as she watched me carefully. Inches away, she mumbled, "So that being said, I feel like I was issued some sort of a challenge. Tayuya might think she's the one who's able to sneak a kiss, so I'm guessing she doesn't know the fact that I've already stolen three of my own."

I looked away and stumbled, "No- soon after we stopped talking and-"

"Doesn't matter to me, it isn't any of her business and Batman doesn't gloat," Sakura responded quietly before pulling my chin back to look at her. I bit my lip, but she only continued, "Still, I'll go ahead and state that I accept her challenge, only to show that I'm not some poor nerdy girl with no hopes. I'd have to say that I'm a hell of a lot closer to having you then anyone on this damn Earth, and I'm not going to give my position up."

"Sakura," I breathed, a tad bit light headed as I tried to think straight because I already knew what was coming, "I don't think it's a good idea. I honestly- I'm still a bit confused about last time- I don't want to-"

"Don't worry about me," she mumbled as she leaned closer, eyes still on mine as the inches slowly dropped away, "I have no doubts in my mind that I'll be making you mine soon enough."

Just then my phone rang, and my heart literally dropped out of my chest as I jumped away. My breath was still being caught in my throat, I think I was actually gasping a little, and my hands were literally fumbling to pick up my phone to answer the incoming call. My back was kept to Sakura, I think I would have fainted if I glanced to see her green eyes watching me patiently, so instead I answered the phone while looking at her blue walls.

"Hello?" I squeaked out.

"Ino Ino Ino!" Tayuya came yelling as excited as ever, "You wouldn't believe it! I found a box of kittens!"

I opened my mouth, a bit confused, but with a sigh I smiled and asked, "Yuya, are you high?"

"Yes!" She answered enthusiastically, "But this does no effect my decision of taking one of them home with me! I can't believe it, they are so cute!"

"Are you sure you'll be able to keep it?" I asked with a small laugh.

"Yes! I already called and asked! I'm excited! I wish you were here to help me pick!" She honestly sounded like she was bouncing around.

I laughed again, "Well just choose one with a personality you like."

"Yeah, I'm in love with this one lil guy. He's gray with white paws and a dark gray nose and these awesome blue eyes! Oh god, he's mine. This one his mine! I choose him! What should I name him?"

"Oh jeez, it's up to you I can't name him for you," I informed with smile plastered on my face, I couldn't get over how excited she sounded. I never really saw Tayuya when she wasn't cool and collected.

"Buzz," she blurted out randomly, "His name is buzz! Fuck you're homework Ino, come over and play with my new kitten! Oh oh oh oh, I wanna show your mom! She loves cute little baby things doesn't she?"

I couldn't help but laugh and answer, "Actually, yes she really does, I'm surprise you remember. But, um," I glanced behind me to see Sakura standing there quietly, hands in her Green Lantern hoodie pockets. Biting my lip, I turned back around and asked, "Is it really important that I come over _right _this very second?"

"You're asking me if a kitten is an important enough reason to come over?" Tayuya shouted in desblief, "The hell?! Get your ass over here now! Now now now! This is a best friend card I'm pulling. You must come over this very second! It's a freaking kitten named Buzz! And he's mine! And you have to see him cuz you're my best friend!"

I giggled and rolled my eyes, "Ok ok, I'm coming over. See you in a bit."

"Oh ok! Hurry hurry!"

And with that, she hung up.

Smile still on my face, I shook my head in disbelief and tossed my phone on Sakura's bed. Palming my forehead, I sighed and turned back to Sakura, peaking up at her with an apologetic smile.

"Um," I started, still unable to believe Tayuya's timing, "She just got a kitten… she kinda wants me there a-sap. Uh… could you drive me to my place please?"

Sakura sighed, but then gave a small smile and answered, "Sure, alright. Sounds cute."

I was really grateful that she handled that well, and with that out of the way I excitedly started picking up the rest of my things because I was just a tad bit eager to see Buzz.

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(1) - watch?v=oj6dk9L8eTI&list=PLM8k2ZmjGmH5wEjsmbnd09RC7eceKKGJA (Both songs are on that playlsit, very bottom back to back. Love the remix tho.)

**Listen here kids, because I'mma smack it down easy enough so all of you can realize a simple fact. Its really simple, but for some people it's hard to understand (people like my father).**

**_Just because you feel like you're in the right, does not give you permission to come at very sharp left angle. (In other words, come at people the wrong way)._**

**It's just r00d.**

**Now, would you look at that. Sakura seems to be stepping up her game and has accepted the challenge Tayuya has issued her. Ooooh, no more reserved Sakura?! Now doesn't that sound scary; a Batman who refuses to play fair. Ha. Haaa haaa, I'm excited for the fucking shit they are both going to pull!**

**Don't worry kids, this story is just now kicking off. We get to see ALLLLL of the random shit that will fly everywhere in every which direction.**

**And it shall be glorious. Because what's more fun than seeing two superheros duke it out? Oh buddy, I'm excited.**

**Read review. Fangirl and rage that Sakura didn't get her kiss. OH WELL, I MEAN TO BE HONEST SAKURA PUT PAUSE ON TAYUYA'S GAME, and it just so happened that Tayuya put pause on Sakura's. lmfao.**

**This is getting delicious.**

**Shybaker, cooking up trouble. Loves. Out.**


	33. Dangerously Close

**A/N - **Don't even stop here...

Just go.

READ!

GO GO GO GO!

**DISCLAIMER**** - I do not own Naruto**

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_Songs used for this chapter - KO KO - So Strange (SizzleBird Remix) & Skrillex - Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites (Radar Detector Remix)_

Friday rolled around as lazily as ever with me sitting in bed against my wall, math book at my lap while texting Sakura. The goal was to finish my homework early this weekend so I didn't have to sit around Sunday night stressing about everything I had to get done. It was unusual, and the only reason I was doing it was because I was bored. Funny enough, my friends hadn't messaged me with any plans and while Sakura mentioned a possible movie at her place, we never went into detail on if we should actually go through with that so I was left sitting here.

Doing math homework.

Tayuya had messaged me earlier that she was would be busy, and I'm not sure if that meant she was going to be with the gang or with Karin. Either way I wasn't going to ask, I simply told her to have fun while hoping she was doing it with the appropriate people.

I guess the only good thing about tonight was that, after today, I would be free to do anything I wanted without homework looming over my head. As I wrote my equations down, I began to ponder on what I should do tomorrow. Hanging with Sakura was always an option; she was free this week with Ethan being taken care of another by Academy student. Or I could surprise my friends with an offer of hanging out and drinking at any of their place. I could only imagine how absolutely ecstatic they would be with the sudden change of pace seeing as it was normally them asking me to hang out and me declining. Or I could just simply take it easy and hang out with myself, there wasn't anything wrong with some peace and quiet, and that would be a huge change of pace on its own.

So I sat there for I don't know how long, humming along to the music playing off of my phone as I jabbed at the numbers on my calculator. I lost track of time and thought, I even managed to slip and drift from texting Sakura. All I knew was that I was sitting there for a while until I heard the heard a soft, squeaky, muffled cat meow, but it was that very moment that I slammed back into life.

I blinked at the sound, confused because the call was practically an exact mimic of Buzz, and unless I was missing something, he wasn't here. My eyes wandered my room, and for some strange reason the very last place I managed to glance at was my window. With a drop of my heart I saw the gray kitten sitting there looking at me with blue eyes, meowing once more to let him in.

Darting up, I quickly went to open my window, but as I came closer I saw that Tayuya was there as well, protectively towering over Buzz while cautiously making sure he didn't do anything kitten crazy. Taking a relieved breath, I pulled at the frame and took a step back. Buzz hopped in immediately, but cried in distress when he realized the ledge was too tall to jump from. Small smile at my lips, I leaned down and picked him up; as soon as I placed him on the ground, he darted from my fingers and began his adventure.

Tayuya climbed in shortly after, white box in her hand with a hood pulled over her head. Standing up straight, she ran her fingers through her hair, effectively pushing her hood off. I watched her, and when she glanced up to see my eyes she gave me a small smile. I could smell the faint scent of smoke coming from her, but ignored it.

"Hey," she greeted softly, wiggling the box she had carefully leveled in her other hand, "I brought dinner."

I took the box from her eagerly, peeking inside to see pizza slices as she moved to take off her shoes. Beaming, I bounced in bed and crossed my legs, happily taking a slice and munching. Tayuya continued to take off her layer of clothing, because it was starting to get colder outside. She unzipped her jacket that clung to her fit frame and tossed it in a corner. I got a glimpse of her soft skin as she pulled up her shirt slightly, pulling out the beanie she had tucked away before tugging it on her head. Soon after all of that she pulled down her baggy sweats, revealing to me that she had a pair of basketball shorts on underneath.

Eventually she finished all her shuffling just as I was half way into my pizza. With a stretch, and a heavy sigh, she plopped to sit at the edge of the bed with her back facing me. It wasn't until then that I realized she was abnormally quiet and her mood didn't seem exactly normal. Slowing my chewing in curiosity, I leaned slightly to attempt to catch her face, but I couldn't get a good view. Instead I was left watching Buzz jump back and forth from one side of Tayuya to the other; my guess was that she brought out his favorite string.

"Um," I started softly after a while of her just sitting there, "So what happened about tonight?"

"Nothing much," she replied with a tone cluing me that there was something wrong, so I listened out carefully to catch any other signs, "Just cancelled."

"They cancelled?" I asked with a small frown, guessing maybe that's why she was so bummed, "Well that sucks."

"Nah, I cancelled," she corrected, tossing the string at some random part of the room so Buzz could entertain himself. Shifting, she finally glanced back at me while scooting to against the wall. When she settled, she grabbed a slice of pizza and added quietly, "On Karin."

I blinked, caught off guard. Seconds later a smile was slipping my lips, "You cancelled, _on Karin_?"

"Yeah," she answered before taking a bite and glancing over at me. I hoped my pleasure wasn't too obvious.

I looked away and went back to eating my pizza to hide my happiness, but I only managed to chew with an idiotic smile on my face. We were quiet for a while as we watched Buzz hop and literally flip around. Eventually he grew bored of the lifeless string, so he pounced on my bed but couldn't jump high enough to get on top. To my surprise, seconds later I saw his blue eyes peaking from the side. He had clawed his way up all by himself.

"No," Tayuya said randomly as he came prancing over, ears perked and eyes locked on the food that we had, "You already ate."

"Aww," I pouted, because I had just moved to rip a bit of my cheese off of my pizza. Turning my frowny face to Tayuya in hopes to get her to change her mind, I begged with my eyes, "He just wants a lil taste."

"Nu uh," she held her ground, not even wavering at my desperate look. Instead she leaned over and dug into her right pocket for a moment before pulling out a bouncy ball and carefully throwing it over the bed to bounce up and down on top of my wooden floor.

That had done the trick; Buzz was no longer interested in either of us. His head snapped at the bouncing ball before he darted to go get it. I squeaked in alarm when he just randomly jumped off the bed, because I knew it was too tall for him to do. When I leaned over to check if he was ok, I saw him hanging off my sheets with one paw, meowing in distress as he dangled there.

"Oh my goodness," I mumbled as I carefully pulled him away from sheets then placed him onto the floor with one hand, "He has to be the cutest thing ever."

"Mhmm," Tayuya agreed with a hum, still leaning against the wall noming on pizza, "Bundle of energy and likes to keep me up all night. Adorable indeed."

I snorted at her mild sarcastic tone as I leaned back to sit next to her, and then with a smile I informed, "Well, that's what kittens are _supposed _to do."

"Well I don't mind it much," she shrugged while taking another bite of her pizza, "But when he pounces on my leg to give me these nasty battle scars, or when he attacks my foot because he sees a string and automatically wants to kill it dead, or when I wake up at 3 in the morning to him laying on my face because he wants cuddles…"

My smile pulled even more as I gave her a glance, "Is it too much for you to handle?"

"You know me better than that Ino," she replied with a small smile as her eyes flicked to mine, "There isn't much I can't handle."

I bit my lip and looked away, recognizing her teasing tone automatically. Taking a nibble out of my crust, I decided to change the subject, "So… why cancel?"

"No reason in particular," she drawled before finishing up her pizza, but her teasing tone disappeared as quickly as it came. Instead she was mumbling, her voice a bit flat if not completely drained away with lack of energy, "Just kinda didn't want to hang out tonight."

Frowning a little, I asked carefully, "What's wrong?"

"Hmm?" She hummed in question, "There isn't anything wrong."

"You know, I'm obligated to tell when you're spitting complete bull shit," I replied with a roll of my eyes, "Don't lie. Tell me what's wrong."

She found something amusing about what I just said, because a smile slipped her lips as her eyebrows rose. With a soft snort, she shifted and leaned her head back against the wall, "Well damn, someone should have given me a memo."

"Saying what?" I entertained her while biting my pizza.

"That it's _obviously _impossible to pretend around you," she answered with a sigh.

"Well I can see the _obvious _signs," I retorted with a shrug, "If I couldn't, not only should you not call me your best friend, but I might as well be diagnosed blind."

"That evident huh?" She asked, still sounding slightly unconvinced, "Then tell me, Ino, what signs do you see?"

I sighed, finding it ridiculous that she was challenging me when the real issue was something else entirely. But if that's what she wanted I would give it to her, if only to make it easier for her to tell me what the problem was.

"Well, it's all in your body language," I started off carefully while looking down at my pizza, "Believe it or not, you're always smiling; and when you aren't you're either thinking about something or watching the Iron Giant, and that's usually what tips me off," With a sigh, I placed my half eaten pizza in the box before closing it while continuing softly, "Then it's like you suddenly don't have motivation, whether it is to carry a conversation, sit here and entertain me, or even laughing. You kinda lose strength, like energy has been sapped right out of you, and you literally end up just sitting there in silence. I hate that part the most, because it's like you're drifting away somewhere, leaving me behind…" My memories wandered to the night where she was holding me from behind, mumbling in my ear about how we were both liars and telling me how stupid she was for thinking she could single handily accomplish something.

Struggling to escape the bad recollection, I went on, "Lastly, I can hear it in your voice Tayuya; I can hear it in your words, your mutters. It's hard not to catch, because I can recognize the change of tone instantly and I know automatically that something is off. It isn't your fault though; back when we weren't as close I would have chalked it up to you just not feeling well or something. Now days though… it's my job to see the small signs."

"Job, obligation, responsibility…" she murmured after a few seconds of silence. Faint smile slipping her lips, she continued, "So, I guess you take this position of best friend very seriously."

"Why wouldn't I?" I mumbled back with a glance at her, "If I didn't, who would?"

"Nobody I guess," she sighed out in reply.

"No I'm sure someone would," I backtracked with a small frown, "Karin… Kiba… any of your friends in the gang eventually would step up to the plate. It's just… well I would like to think I'm first in line, if not right next to Kiba, when it comes to seeing something wrong with you and going through hell to fix it. And… no offense to any of them, but I wouldn't want them taking my spot. You're _my _best friend. They can't have you."

Another small smile slid her lips, this time it danced across a bit easier than before. Eyes wandering towards the ceiling as she leaned her head back against the wall, she repeated in a soft tone, "I'm yours…"

I picked at the sheets and replied gently, "…and they can't have you."

Silence fell upon us both for a little bit, and my stomach churned with stirring warmth. It's the way she repeated me, and the way I reinstated my words, that made this all seem like the past all over again. Back when it was simple, and just us; when we used to sit around, her reading and me doing homework and the lingering silence was enough to speak the volumes of words we didn't _need _to say to each other. It was different now, and I guess I couldn't have expected it to stay the same after all that had happened. And if I knew her as well as I said, then I knew she craved to hear certain words that didn't need to be placed out in the open before, just like I craved to have her arms around me as reassurance that she was still here with me.

Both were obvious enough to not require any words or actions, but something about hearing and feeling it from the other person made everything seem- solid… and real.

"Alright, you win," Tayuya began with a sigh, brushing her bang out of her face before plopping her hand back to her side.

"Well, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I asked softly while looking down at my sheets.

"Sure, if you honestly want to be burdened with my problems," she answered with an apathetic tone, and after a moment of me waiting patiently, she added, "But if you want to hear about them, you have to sit on my lap."

My heart jumped as my eyes widened, "What?"

"You heard," she responded, not fazed by my frantic tone, "You have to sit on my lap."

"Why?" I rushed with a stumble, "Why can't you just tell me?"

"Well first I'm high, kinda want cuddles, and because just like you would like to hear what's wrong, I would like you against me while I tell you," she explained with a glance at me, "And if you honestly want me to embarrass myself even more, I'll admit that when you're pressed against me I feel a bit less… frail."

I watched her in disbelief, but she held my eyes with a solemn look. She wasn't joking, teasing, taunting, or pretending, what she had just said was honest truth. I couldn't imagine how it was even possible that I somehow gave her some strength, but I also couldn't deny her what she wanted. It isn't that she looked desperate, but it was sort of like she needed a hug.

Stomach twisting, I pulled my eyes away from her. I don't know why, but butterflies were suddenly fluttering about throughout my whole body. Hearing her say something like that made me… undeniably happy, but for the wrong reasons; She needed a best friend, that was simple, but the way she had requested me and explained why made my heart begin to thump hard. I guess I simply wished she needed me in other ways too, ways that- under the circumstances and the position I held now- was slightly inappropriate.

Knot in my stomach, I bit my lip and began to move. The second I shifted and pushed myself off the wall, I immediately felt nervous. We held each other all the time, but I never really sat on her lap. Usually it was her just holding me while we slept, so this was different.

Eventually I gained the courage to slip my leg over hers, and as I practically held my breath I straddled her waist. She didn't clarify if I had to face her, but I kind of wanted to. I wanted to watch her eyes as she told me what was wrong; I wanted to make sure she wasn't lying.

She looked up at me in silence, but eventually smiled when she noticed my blush. Grabbing my waist she pulled me closer, and then sitting up she muttered, "What's wrong princess, you look a bit uncomfortable."

"Oh shut up," I replied with a slight stutter, looking away from her I crossed my arms and continued, "Obviously this is a bit awkward for me."

"How come?" She asked, her teasing tone sparking back to life, "It's just me, I don't bite."

"Shut. Up." I repeated, turning towards her with a glare, "I'm only doing this so you can tell me what's wrong."

Her smile kept on her face, but her teasing dropped, "Only reason, huh? Well I'm sorry to inconvenience you," I frowned slightly at the way she said that. Opening my mouth, I began to correct myself, but she only shook her head, "No worries, I was only joking."

I wasn't convinced, and I felt a twinge of guilt, but I kept my mouth shut. She continued to sit there, holding my waist but overall keeping her eyes away from me. After a moment of waiting, I asked in gentle voice, "What's wrong?"

She sighed but didn't say anything for a while. Then, out of nowhere, she broke into a grin and looked up at me, "Nothing. Just wanted you to sit with me, is all."

I gave her a look, but kept my tone soft as I mumbled, "You aren't fooling anyone, especially not me. Just tell me, did something happen today or are you not feeling well? Is Karin pissing you off, is that why you cancelled?"

"You would love that, wouldn't you," she responded with a humorous look, but I only frowned and answered, "As much as I don't like her, if you guys are having a fight I don't mind listening and giving an unbiased opinion. I get you guys are friends; I'm not going to be a bitch and make everything worse. I just want to make sure you're ok, so if it is Karin-"

"I cancelled with her because I wanted to hang out with you," she cut in, eyes wandering away from mine for some unknown reason, "I literally called up seconds before I was supposed to meet her and lied, telling her something else came up and I couldn't make it. Then, I came over here on the mere hope that you would be around."

I blinked at the story, knowing that there was something I was missing but unable to figure it out, "Well, lucky I was hanging out at home," I started slowly.

"Exactly, pure luck," she mumbled in reply while looking somewhere else, "I cancelled betting on luck."

My eyebrows came together as I tried to decrypt what exactly was the problem, "Do you feel bad or something?"

"No," she snorted with an empty smile pulling at her lips, "I really don't."

I wasn't understanding; there was something that was flying over my head. With each word she spoke to me, I grew more and more confused, "So… what's wrong?"

Sighing again, she merely shrugged, "Nothing, I guess. I just missed you."

I opened my mouth, but no words came out because I didn't know what to say. So instead, I settled for replying softly, "I missed you too…"

She glanced up at me, and I watched the way her eyes churned. I held her gaze for as long as possible, sitting there with my legs wrapped around her waist and tucked away at her side, attempting to dig out some truth that I was sure I was missing, but there was nothing I could find.

Slowly a small smile slipped her lips, but it was off and not at all easy. Then, quietly, she mumbled, "There is another secret that I want to tell you, you should come over here."

I knew she was only avoiding me asking more questions, but I didn't know what else to do. I failed miserably because I couldn't even figure out what the true problem was, and I was beginning to think that she wouldn't be explaining it to me even if I asked her to. The only option I had was to try another approach, and that usually pertained just attempting to take her mind off of things. So, with a smile of my own and a roll of my eyes, I leaned forward slowly and teased, "And what's that Tayuya? That you absolutely _adore _my mother's new peanut butter and jelly cookies?"

"Oh my god, did she make some?" She asked with her eyes widening, "Are they down stairs? Why the hell didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Calm down," I laughed, "She didn't make any more, but we can always ask her tomorrow."

"Got damnit, you can't give me false hopes like that," she complained, "Now I have a craving and depressed that I can't have any."

"It's ok, you can settle for me," I taunted with a smile, "I'm pretty sweet too, you know."

This caught her attention. Eyes flicking up to me, a smile pulled at her lips and I could see the taunting Tayuya beginning to stir back to life. I knew I was flirting with danger, but I was merely doing my job. It wasn't like I was enjoying teasing her.

Much…

"So that secret," I prompted when she didn't say anything.

"Right," she nodded, tugging at my waist with a slow lick of her lips, "You have to bend down though, I don't want anyone else to hear."

"Who else will hear?" I asked with a roll of my eyes.

"Well for one, Buzz is knocked out and I'd hate to wake up him up," she pointed out with a shrug, "Plus it's totally embarrassing."

I blinked and turned around, amazed to see that she was right. The sleeping kitten was cuddled into Tayuya's pile of clothing, curled into a fluffed ball to keep warm.

"I didn't even notice," I mumbled out quietly with a smile slipping across my lips as I watched Buzz sleeping.

"I have to pay attention if he's too quiet; he likes to get into things," she replied as I kept watching the kitten. Seconds later, I was being shifted and moving against Tayuya as she pulled herself up to sit straight. I quickly turned back and held her shoulders to keep from falling, my eyes falling back on her waiting gaze. Her smile was still there as she looked up at me, "So how about it, princess? Why don't you indulge me a little further and lean down so I can tell you this embarrassing secret?"

My stomach twisted and a weird pulse ran through me. Biting my lip to keep from saying anything stupid, I thought about my options. It isn't that I didn't want to, the idea of her mumbling something to me with her lips brushing against my ear was something I was beginning to crave, but I was worried. The last time she was mouthing something to me was when Sakura was on the phone while I was against a brick wall, and she wasn't here to save me this time around.

I lied to myself as I began to lean down; I told myself it was for the sake of hearing her secret, whatever it may be. It helped me feel better as I came closer, tilting my head slightly while shivering as the weird prickle of nerves began to wash down my neck. I didn't want to admit that I was no longer doing this for her sake, but for mine. I wanted to pretend that I was just being a good friend, not taking advantage of her low mood that made her touchy and needy. The way my heart beat with each pulse coursing through me screamed differently though, there was no escaping the truth that was being shoved in my face.

My hands slipped to her side as I leaned forward, keeping myself from completely falling into her. I felt her brush some of my hair with her nose, running against my skin carefully. Then, with a quiet voice, she mumbled, "This isn't so bad, right?"

I shivered again, slightly pulling away from her voice out of reaction. Pressing my lips together to gain some nerve, I muttered back, "Yeah…"

I felt her smile as she brushed it against me, and with a small shift she closed the small distance I managed to wiggle between us, "Then stop acting so nervous princess, you're making me feel like a criminal over here."

"I can't help it," I whispered, my fingers twitching at her side as her lips brushed against me. A moment later I placed my forehead gently on her shoulder and sighed, "Just tell me what's wrong."

"Is that all you are interested in?" She asked quietly, her hands slowly running up the side of my exposed thighs as she made her way to my hips. Her palm felt like silk, and I secretly thanked myself for deciding to wear shorts tonight.

Shutting my eyes, I replied with the least amount of shake in my voice that I could muster, "Kind of… I'm worried about you."

"You shouldn't be," she responded, turning her head to whisper directly into my ear, "It's you who I'm worried for."

"Why," I asked, biting my lip hard as I felt her fingers drag against my exposed waist.

"Because I care about you way too much not to worry," she answered quietly while her fingertips whispered across my skin, "And when you're dealing with me, I always have to worry. I just…"

Her fingers suddenly stopped, and her words slowly fell flat. My eyes opened slowly as I shifted my head, laying on her as I mumbled towards her neck, "What? What were you going to say?"

"I like to fuck up," she replied flatly, pulling her fingers away slowly. A frown tugged at my lips as I stared at her skin, wondering why she was beating herself up when she hadn't done anything wrong for such a long time. I guess those two months were still fresh in her mind, and I wished they weren't. She needed a break from the constant reminder; there was no point because when we couldn't change the past.

We stayed like that for a while, and as weird as it sounds I began to grow cold with her hands on me. Biting my lip, I carefully removed my hands from her side to search for hers. After feeling around for a moment, I brushed against her knuckles. Lazily, I ran my fingers across them, and then casually I poked my fingers through the crack of hers until I managed to hook a few with mine.

"You're secret," I reminded softly as I tugged at her, guiding her back to my waist.

"I forgot," she lied quietly, allowing me to pull her along.

"Please don't lie," I whispered, shifting closer to her. Seconds later my own lips brushed against her ear as I begged, "Don't make me worry."

"I've been lying the whole time Ino, I had no secret," she mumbled back, her voice flat and fingers lifeless at my hips, "I only said that to get you over here. Sorry."

"Then tell me whatever lie you came up with then," I replied as I ran my hand up her side before tugging at her shirt, hoping to pull her back to life. I was upset that I couldn't do anything but sit here and watch her drift away all over again. Nothing good ever came when she landed herself on her own planet, but I couldn't name a time when I had the strength to stop it from happening. It was a trend that made me sick to my stomach, a trend that I wanted to stop.

"I don't have anything for you," she responded.

"Please," I begged a bit desperately, "Just please…"

Her fingers flinched at the sound of my voice, and with a breath I felt her coming back. She shifted as she squeezed my hips comfortingly, and with a sigh she muttered, "Stop, I'm fine. You don't need to worry; I'm just deep in thought."

"I don't want you deep in thought though, I want you here with me," I informed shamelessly, pulling at her shirt as I kept hunched over and whispering in her ear, "So please, just tell me anything, whatever comes to mind."

"I don't know if that's the best idea," she answered.

"I don't care," I replied.

She sighed, her nails dragging across my skin as she struggled with something that I wasn't sure of. Then she shook her head slightly, and it was then I knew that I broke her. Low, hardly above a whisper but just enough for me to hear, she began miserably, "I really want some of your mom's cookies."

A smile slipped my lips, and with a close of my eyes I felt relief. If she had enough energy to joke around, then she obviously wasn't as gone as I feared. Broken maybe, but she hadn't disappeared on me yet.

"Want to go downstairs and make some?" I asked as I shifted, nuzzling into her neck with a sigh, "I know the recipes. Plus I think we still have some peanut butter cookies left."

"No…" she answered with a breath of her own, her arms snaking around me and pulling me close, "I'm craving something sweet, but don't have the motivation for all that work." She paused for a moment, and we just sat there with each other's warmth. Seconds later though, she muttered, "You did mention I could settle for you earlier…"

A smile pulled at my lips and I mumbled back, "Yeah, so?"

"Well, I bet your skin is pretty sweet," she drawled slowly as her finger traced my lower back waist, "And your lips probably aren't at all bitter…"

My stomach churned as heart began to thump. In a small voice, I replied, "You of all people should know how my skin tastes by now."

She squeezed me into her once with a soft snort. Then, tilting her head, she whispered into my ear softly, "You're right, I couldn't possibly forget about something that was so delicious."

A small quake past through my body, and with a squeeze of my thighs I shifted and moved closer to her. My chest was tightening and it was getting harder to breathe all over again, but I didn't want to pull away from here; I liked being with her like this. So instead I bit my lip, and carefully attempted to control myself. I was here only to help; anything else would be inappropriate considering my position.

There were doubts in my mind if best friends honestly did the things we used to do back then; did they hold the other down and suck on their necks, simply to have their way?

"You know," Tayuya continued to drawl, running her fingers up my waist at the same pace as she let her words slip between us: agonizingly slow, "I have a crush on the way you smile."

My heart squeezed at the confession, and with a small smile I mumbled, "Oh yeah?"

"Mhmm," she hummed as her fingers traveled over my shift covered skin, running across every bump my fitted shirt made as it clung to my body. When she got too high, she began venturing back down, "Crush on it so hard that I literally cancelled plans just to see it tonight."

I nuzzled further into her neck to hide, butterflies spawning into my stomach faster than expected as I called her bluff, "Yeah right."

"Don't believe me?" She whispered without surprised, her palms decending all the way down to my thighs and then to my exposed knees. Pulling away until only her fingertips were left on my skin she began to wander back up; but the way she was tracing my skin tickled me in a goose bumps sort of way, so I began to shift against her as I attempted to keep still, "You don't have to, I guess. I mean, I know the pathetic truth. I'm just too attached, too addicted, to you."

"That doesn't sound pathetic to me," I breathed as I squeezed her shirt hard, struggling to be motionless as her touches traveled higher.

"You don't think so?" She mumbled, turning to speak in my ear softy, "Here I am, unable to function if I'm not around you, and if the time between my last visit is too much for my comfort I find myself going through lengths just to seek out your attention. If that isn't pathetic…"

"You're my best friend," I turned as well to whisper in _her _ear, "If it wasn't like that, I would question our relationship."

"You aren't like that," she pointed out quietly, her lips running against my ear.

"Yes I am," I breathed in hers, shutting my eyes tight and squeezing her between my legs to focus on something other than her torturing fingertips and the pulses she was causing, "I want you around all the time Yuya, I just no I can't have you. You're busy, you have other friends. Karin isn't going to magically disappear and neither is the gang. I get that, but that doesn't change the fact that I do want you here with me. Always. Practically forever."

"Why don't you ask for that much attention? This is the first time I'm hearing any of this." She inquired curiously, her touch pausing for a moment.

"Because," I mumbled, clinging to her shirt hard as I took a moment to calm down, "I just… I understand."

"Understand what?" She pressed when she noticed I wouldn't continue on my own.

"I understand that I can't ask that of you, Tayuya," I struggled to explain with a bite of my lip, "Because I know if I did you would give it to me, and that isn't fair for everyone else."

A short laugh passed her lips as she sighed and shook her head, "How the hell do you figure any of this out without even talking to me about it..."

"You're my best friend," I muttered in response, "I'm supposed to know all of this, it's my responsibility."

"I hardly understand the shit you tell me flat out," her voice dropped to a resentful grumble, "I can't even figure out what the hell is going on right in front of me, but I'm your best friend. That's the fucked up part. It's like I'm not even fit for the position."

"Just because you don't have the best sense of catching things between the lines, doesn't mean you aren't fit for the position," I softly comforted her, pulling away to look in her eyes just to make sure she was understanding. Her eyes had been closed, but at certain distance she opened them on her own. I watched her carefully, smile tugging at my lips to reassure her as I continued, "There are other things you seem to get about me, things I doubt anyone else could, and that's what is so amazing about you. Half the time I don't know what's wrong with you Tayuya, I can just sense something is off, and even then I can hardly do anything to help but hold you and try anchor you down to earth. You? You're totally different."

She listened carefully, her brown eyes steady on mine. I leaned forward carefully, my hand wandering up to her hair as I admitted quietly, "I don't know if it's how I feel about you, because I literally love you to death and hold you dear to my heart, but it's like the simple things _you _do to make me feel better are enough to keep me from drowning. Your laughs, your jokes, your simple surprise visits with food, breakfast or dinner, just helps so much more than anything else in this world. It comes easier with you Tayuya, and I don't get why. When you left, Sakura did all that she could but at the end of the night it wasn't the same."

The mention of the past caused her to stiffen, and immediately she broke eye contact. She turned her head away from me, jaw set and eyes staring hard at the wall. Biting my lip, I simply sighed and dropped my hand from her hair and to my lap, which was pretty much her stomach. I know this part would hurt the most but it was a point that I was trying to make, and while I hated forcing her to relive the most painful memories she probably had, I pushed forward because I knew it was necessary.

"I drowned because you were my float, suffocated because you were practically my air. I needed you Tayuya, and I still do. What makes you an amazing best friend is that you simply help in the smallest ways possible, and that's what I value the most, what I require, what I _need_," With her eyes away from me, I began to become afraid if this mission as too big for me to handle, if I could honestly bring up something like this and still have her get the lesson of it all.

Dreading the outcome, I leaned forward and ran my hands up her chest until my fingertips reached her neck. Gently caressing her skin, I moved to her ear and continued softly, "I don't know why you left, but I understood; and I understood because that is my trait, my specialty, the quality that you need the most. You need someone to understand the things that you do, not fully but enough to allow you to do them, and I'm that person. It wasn't just dumb luck that we happened to be friends- that we happened to be right across the street from each other. Something somewhere knew what we absolutely required and set this whole thing up for us."

I breathed and shifted closer to her, my nails running down her neck in soft scratches as I practically pleaded for her to comprehend, "You need someone to decrypt you, to be patient, to get the small things enough to understand what is allowed, what isn't allowed, what can be done, and what cannot. I need someone to get that I require affection; that simple touches and hugs can get me by; that small whispers of words are enough to crumble all the worlds' troubles. And you know, you got that about me the moment we began talking. When I was on the roof and you were sitting on your skateboard, you knew what was necessary, vital. You guessed I wanted someone to be sweet to me, to do stupid random stuff to get me the 'gooies' and to hold me all night until the moment I fell asleep. How could you have possibly known, Tayuya, you didn't even know me back then…"

There was a moment of silence that was hard to listen to and suffocating to breathe in. Eyes shutting in defeat, I ran my fingers up her neck and whispered, "We are perfect for each other, do you know that? You're my perfect best friend, no one else could replace you, no one, and that's what I'm trying to say. You may not understand in the levels that I do, but you get me. No one, not a single person in this world, can do the things you do as amazing as you do them. They can try, but it isn't the same and that's what I want you to understand. You're more than _fit_ to be in the position as my best friend, you're the _only _person who could be my best friend."

With a breath, I simply laid my head there and sat with her in silence. Her fingers were still paused at my thighs, and mine still curled at her chest. Our breaths could hardly be heard, even right next to each other, and neither of us had bothered to move. Despite the obvious signs, I couldn't regret my decision of the speech I had just made, because each and every word was true and honest. What I regretted was forcing her to relive the thing she hated the most, and now I was questioning if it was even necessary. I guess it didn't matter now, I couldn't take it back. So I just sat there with her, hoping that everything I had just said didn't fall upon deaf ears.

"For a moment there… I thought I had already been replaced by Sakura," Tayuya had mumbled in a very slight shaky voice.

A smile slipped my lips as I kept my eyes closed and nuzzled into her neck, "She's another good friend of mine, a really good one that helps a lot, but _you're_ my best friend Yuya; always have been and always will be."

Her fingers began to slip up my thighs all over again, and with a breath I heard the smile in her voice as she said, "Thanks Ino, for everything you said… it meant a lot."

"No problem," I muttered back, snuggling against her and feeling over all happy that I managed to help _finally._

Her palms pressed against me when she got high enough, and her fingers spread as she reached my hips. Shifting to sit up a little more, she turned her head and gave me a small peck on my cheek just as her fingers slipped under my shirt, "I love you too, by the way."

My heart twisted and another smile spread my lips as I nuzzled into her closer, mouthing against her neck, "I already knew that…"

"I figured you wouldn't mind hearing it," she replied, creeping her fingers up with my shirt being pushed up as well.

"Maybe," I teased, trying hard to keep my breath steady.

"Sure," she retorted in amusement, and when her fingers got high enough she carefully took her nails to scratch my skin. After a moment of me just sitting there, feeling her touch against me, I heard her whisper, "I'm still craving something sweet."

A pulse ran through me as my eyes opened slowly, teeth against my lip in nervousness. Heart thudding, I asked, "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Do you really want to know the answer to that question?" She softly asked, gliding her nails to my back before pushing them up next to my spine.

"Maybe…" I answered in a quiet voice, my chest tightening as a small shiver ran through me at her nails venturing my skin.

"I don't think you do," she mumbled back, flattening her palms against my skin, "But I wouldn't mind showing you exactly what I want from you." Another pulse shot through me, and with my stomach flipping hard I attempted to focus on breathing. It was hard though, because shortly after she turned to mutter in my ear, "Just give me permission, that's all I need."

God, I just couldn't with her right now. I had already been teetering all night, feeling guilty about having this personal little pleasure rollercoaster when I was supposed to be comforting her. Now here I was, already on edge and hardly able to handle her gliding her hands against my waist and back, and she _now _wanted to tease and taunt me. Could I ever catch a break?

"Why don't you just do whatever you want?" I asked, stalling for time as I picked at her shirt

"Because I want to hear you tell me that you're curious enough to find out for yourself," she answered, pulling me close to her as she mumbled against my skin, "And I don't want to cross any lines that you don't want me to. So give me the word, Ino, I need it."

"Convince me." I blurted out randomly.

Her hands paused their movements as I sat there with my heart hammering. I don't know why I said that, it seemed like a good thing to say. But now-

I was suddenly moving, actually levitating upwards out of nowhere. Seconds later I was being placed flat on my back, Tayuya hovering over me instantly. Her knee forced my legs to spread, and with a drop of my heart traveled dangerously close to be pressed against me. She stopped just before, but didn't give me time to think. My left wrist was being snatched above my head and my right hip was being gripped by her hand.

I swallowed as she leaned down to my ear, not knowing what to expect and still confused. Moments later I heard her voice, deadly yet soft and gentle as she whispered, "You want me to convince you? Did you even think that through?"

Just the sound of her voice, how it bubbled with energy so close to rage but not angry at all, had my breath hitching. Eyes shut tight, I laid there and struggled to breathe as I replied, "I thought it was a good idea."

"Then allow me to show you how absolutely wrong you are," she growled low as she pushed her hand up my shirt, nails gliding against me roughly with her lips still hovering close. Then, quietly as she scratched and tugged me against her with her body pressed against me, she muttered, "What I want isn't expensive at all, it's fairly cheap. I can promise you'd like it in the very least, but don't think I'll shoot so low." Her teeth grazed against my earlobe gently as she continued in a low voice, "I'll make _sure _you enjoy it, to the point where you can't even use words and you're just struggling to keep your eyes open or closed. You're breathing is uneven now, but Ino I'd make sure that it was completely gone. You're hands are staying put, but I have no doubt in my mind I'd get you to claw at me to pull me closer or grip the sheets to keep sane. You can tell me stop at any time, and I'll obey immediately. But tell me, Ino, are you still curious enough to see what I really want? Do I still have to convince you that this would be for your absolute pleasure?"

"Tayuya," I breathed as I felt her tongue accidently graze against me as she was licking her lips.

"I'm craving something sweet and last I remember you were the best damn thing I have ever tasted in my life," she murmured, overall ignoring my call but almost growing angry that I was stalling, "Give me an answer so I can either go get some fucking cookies from down stairs or have you instead. I'm slipping Ino. Tell me what the fucking do. I need my best friend right now to tell me _what I can and cannot do_."

I immediately recognized the last words she used, unable to believe that she was using my speech against me. But there were more important things I couldn't believe though, like how desperate she sounded. The struggle in her voice was real, and the way she gripped my hip and wrist only proved that she was trying her best to cling on what little self-control she had left. I began to wonder if she was always like this when she began teasing me; like that one time where she held down, attempting to taunt her way into getting what she wanted. My memory whispered across how she flung herself away from me mere seconds before our lips brushed together, furiously telling me I won.

Maybe I wasn't the only one who always lost a bit of my control when we got like this. Maybe she did too.

"Ino," she called through grinding teeth.

I had a choice, but I didn't know what to choose. Last time I hoped for something that I should have known wouldn't have happened, and now I wondered what would occur now. We were in the same position all over again, months afterwards. Why did it feel the identical even though everything was totally different from back then? Why hadn't a thing changed in this room while everything outside of it was completely altered?

"Ino," she called impatiently.

"Tayuya," I breathed in response, my mind still fogged and running a mile per minute.

"Please just say something," she begged quietly, her nails scratching my skin desperately, "Anything. Just a word. Yes or no. That's all."

I closed my eyes, swallowed, and squeezed my fingers together that were being helped captive. Then, softly, I whispered the answer I already had at the tip of my tongue since the very moment she asked.

"Yes."

There was a pause, we were both shocked by the answer, but seconds later all I remember is a blinding light as I felt her lips instantly lock on my skin; and with a hard bite as her tongue ran across me, wetting me with her saliva, we both lost what little control we had since day one.

* * *

(1) - watch?v=mAvsYLHNHVU (KO KO song) watch?v=2wVAW0xOXs8 (Skrillex song) LISTEN.

**Oh... My... Gawd.**

**Shycadet dodges angry reviews. Loves. Out.**


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